Two Construction Accidents at 4 World Trade Center

Just days after the last steel beam was placed on top of 4 World Trade Center, two consecutive work days saw two separate construction site accidents. Last Tuesday, a worker sustained fall injuries after plunging approximately six feet onto a steel reinforcing bar. The worker was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with two broken ribs and a bruised liver. The next day, a crane operator lifted a steel beam that weighed 24 tons and was 53 feet long. According to the vice president of the construction company, a “sudden gust of wind,” caused the weight of the load to move. The steel beam then smashed into the 46th floor windows, breaking two 5- by 13-and-a-half feet panes of glass. Pieces of the windows fell to the street below. Based on information from the Fire Department, no injuries were sustained from the crane accident. According to its website, 4 World Trade Center will rise 72 stories upon its completion, towering 977 feet above street level. It is intended to be the fourth tallest skyscraper of the new World Trade Center buildings. The building will contain both retail stores and commercial offices, and is expected to be the new headquarters of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Construction workers are faced with perilous situations frequently. Their employers are responsible for providing them with a safe work environment, including necessary safety equipment. Workers injured on job sites may be entitled to recover damages for personal injuries they sustained while performing their job duties. Source: The New York Times, “Two Days of Trouble Follow a Milestone at 4 World Trade Center,” David W. Dunlap, June 27, 2012.