From the Daily News:The scaffolding that malfunctioned on Monday in Sunnyside leaving a worker dangling for dear life was not sanctioned, the Daily News has learned.
The incident underscores a dark underbelly within the construction trade, a Queens lawmaker said Thursday.
The city Department of Buildings issued a partial stop-work order at the 45th St. construction site and is investigating what caused the scaffolding to collapse, officials said.
Elmhurst contractor Prestige Construction, which was doing facade work on the six-story apartment building, was hit with two violations for Monday’s incident.
Assemblyman Francisco Moya said the incident underscores a growing problem within the construction industry.
Moya, a fellow Ecuadorian, phoned Suauzhanay following his near-death experience.
“A lot of these workers are immigrant workers,” said Moya (D-Jackson Heights). “They will settle for these unsafe conditions in order to earn money.”
The contractors often skirt regulations and standards. “It's only exposed when a worker is severely hurt or killed,” he said.
5 comments:
Don't just fine them - charge them with attempted homicide! I'll say it again:
across the street from me is a plumbing company (does BIG work, like new buildings and streets - not clogged toilets). They ONLY use illegals. Originally it was Irishmen - they worked til 4, did not work the weekend, wore hard hats... Now it's all Mexicans. They start at about 4:30/5AM, get back around 7pm, then work in the yard til at least midnight, if not later. That's a 20-hour work day, and I am sure lack of sleep is not safe. But, hey: Mexicans, unlike Irishmen, are slave labor. You work them until they're dead.
The economy has been so crapped out people who were cavalier to begin with are getting absolutely homicidal as they try to maximize profits. . . while, on the one hand, illegals should not be here (it is, after all, illegal) IMO the people who hire them for death projects should be fully prosecuted and sent up the river for life. I am totally disgusted.
Non-union, free market capitalism at work.
A republican's dream.
A lot of these workers are immigrant workers,” said Moya (D-Jackson Heights). “They will settle for these unsafe conditions in order to earn money
Stop it Moya - do not confuse immigrant with illegals > don't lie.
Only illegals settle for unsafe conditions because they cannot report unsafe conditions without retribution - they are illeagal after all and could bring attention to themselfs and fellow workers.
"Only illegals settle for unsafe conditions"
This commenter probably has not seen worksites in the sorts of countries these immigrant come from. regardless of status, most of these people are either ignorant of basic safety procedures, or in some cases, consider them a nuisance.
Young people of any race tend to feel "macho" and ignore safety.
I walked pipes 60-72 ft up in stage fly houses with just the hoist lines to hold on to. I stood on 30+ ft scaffolds without a guard rail and other stupid things back in my 20's.
What was wrong in the construction tragedy was a lack of oversight and a callous disregard for human life.
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