Across New York City’s five boroughs, a residential and commercial building boom is transforming barren neighborhoods and shopping districts. But a devastating statistic has spiked along with that growth: the number of construction workers hurt or killed in project site accidents has risen dramatically, mostly among undocumented immigrant laborers. So reports The New York Times.
The investigate report revealed that every one of the fatalities was avoidable had crews taken essential--and basic--steps to prevent falls and wear appropriate safety gear. In a letter to the paper responding to the article, Gary LaBarbera, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater N.Y., points to an “underground sector of the construction industry that operates with no accountability and often puts the lives of workers (and the public) at risk in pursuit of profit.”