New York City Pedestrian Injured by Flying Buzz Saw

Falling and flying objects are far too common occurrences at construction sites. In many cities across the U.S., construction sites are separated and partitioned off from the public. In New York City, a pedestrian could walk directly under or next to a number of construction sites just on their way to work. Case in point, the New York Police Department reported yesterday morning that a woman was injured when a buzz saw flew at her from a road construction site. The buzz saw flew 100 feet before hitting a tree and then striking the woman’s leg. Thankfully, her injuries were not severe. The construction company responsible was contracted by the city of New York to fix a water main break below 48^th Street and Ninth Avenue. The accident is currently under investigation. These types of accidents have been deemed “struck by” accidents by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA requires all construction workers to wear safety equipment such as hard hats and safety googles to protect against falling and flying objects, however, there are no such protections for pedestrians. To avoid accidents such as the one that happened in Manhattan yesterday morning, construction crews must frequently inspect saws and other power tools to ensure that machinery protective guards are working properly. Construction crews that operate machinery should also be thoroughly trained in safe operation of those devices. Pedestrians and construction workers alike should be protected against injuries from falling and flying objects at construction sites. If you were injured in this type of accident, whether as a worker or a bystander, please contact a New York City personal injury attorney at Jaroslawicz & Jaros, PLLC today. We can provide you with a free legal consultation to inform you of your legal rights and options.