Construction Accidents, Deaths On The Rise In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Public advocates are calling for improvements to construction safety in New York City.
Construction accidents and deaths jumped 240 percent from 2011 to 2015, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported.
"The number of construction workers and the frequency of fatalities has skyrocketed," public advocate Letitia James said Thursday outside City Hall.
She wants regulators to crack down, specifically on fraud.
"Workers were pressured to obtain these safety training cards," James said.
The cards are often sold on the black market, Haskell reported.
Javier Gallardo, an advocate for immigrant workers, said too often safety comes secondary.
"Don't have any harnesses, don't have the appropriate training," he said.
Gallardo added some contractors see workers as expendable.
