NY City Building Chief Resigns Following Rash of Construction Accidents
In a natural escalation of the recent spike in fatal NY construction accidents and administrative miscues, Patricia J. Lancaster, New York City’s first female building commissioner, resigned on Tuesday, April 22nd. She becomes the first commissioner to leave the Bloomberg administration under a cloud of public controversy. The move comes as Lancaster faced escalating pressure from City Hall and growing criticism from the media and public at large after a series of administrative blunders.
The proverbial “final straw” may have come after an appearance at a City Council hearing when she admitted that the department had mistakenly issued permits for the East Side building where a crane collapsed last month, killing seven people and injuring 24 others. According to the article, Ms. Lancaster’s performance before the council “not only cast unwanted light on her department’s bureaucratic failings” and the recent rash of construction accidents, but “also drew attention to her awkward public manner and unclear explanations that diminished her credibility”.
The lack of confidence in the city’s construction safety standards is not unwarranted. There have been numerous crane and construction accidents in the recent past and the death toll that results from these devastating events continues to escalate.
Construction is the third deadliest industry in the United States, and the causes of construction accident deaths and injuries vary widely. These can include forklift injuries, scaffolding or electrocution accidents, falls, toxic fume inhalation or carbon monoxide poisoning, head injuries from falling objects, and even motor vehicle crashes that lead to death and injury. Though the circumstances of each construction accident death vary, more often than not responsibility lies with the employer, contractor, architect, site owner, or a combination of parties.
Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro is committed to upholding the rights of laborers and construction workers who, in order to support their families, have been subjected to unsafe and negligent working environments. If you or someone you love has been injured in a New York Construction Accident, contact the NY Construction Accident Attorneys at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro today for a free consultation of your case.
