Constr. deaths plummet - and so does debris

Construction deaths dropped in '07, Buildings Department reports

Construction deaths dropped dramatically this year following last year's record high, even as high-rise accidents skyrocketed, the city Buildings Department reported Tuesday.

Eight construction workers died as of Oct. 31 this year, compared with 14 in the same period last year - a 43% decline, records show. The death toll is the lowest since 2004, when 11 workers died. By the end of last year, 18 workers had been killed on the job, the highest tally in five years.

LOOK OUT BELOW! DANGER 'BUILDS'

The Department of Buildings yesterday revealed that 40 percent of all major accidents at high-rise construction sites involve materials plunging from above.

They include everything from wrenches to ladders to hydraulic lifts.

Accidents at high-rise sites jumped 83 percent, from 23 to 42, during the first 10 months of this year compared to last year, according to data released at the annual Building Trades Employers' Association Safety Conference.