Economic recession makes New York workplaces dangerous

Economic recession makes New York workplaces dangerous (Alberta Times) City government data shows that New York City workplaces became more dangerous in 2010, with deaths and falls...

(Alberta Times)

City government data shows that New York City workplaces became more dangerous in 2010, with more deaths, personal injuries and violent attacks occurring than in the past. The New York Post reported that there were 68 workplace deaths in New York City last year, five more than the year before. Personal injuries and violent attacks have increased for two consecutive years, with a total of 15 workplace homicides and 13 shootings, and self-inflicted deaths have also increased. Preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that fatal falls in the workplace more than doubled from five in 2009 to 13 in 2010. For example, earlier this month, a construction worker accidentally fell to his death from the roof of a church in Uptown Manhattan. BLS economist Bruce Bergman pointed out that the trade, transportation and utilities sector had the most workplace fatalities, rising from 19 the year before to 21 last year. In addition to the increase in falls, injuries and violence have also risen to their highest levels in five years. But officials with a worker safety group said the figures were a wake-up call. "Layoffs hurt workers," said Joel Shufro, CEO of the New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH). "Employers ask them to do more and pay less." Shufro said that today's workers often face more dangerous situations because when they convey the bad news of layoffs to those who have been laid off, the latter take out their anger on them. Hueflow also said that the current 10% unemployment rate in the United States has also affected workers. Falling deaths mainly occur at construction sites without unions. Workers are worried about losing their jobs and are unwilling to complain about unsafe factors in the workplace. Huuffro noted that Hispanic workers and workers ages 25 to 54 have the highest workplace fatality rates.