New York City Construction Accident Statistics

Construction Site Accidents in NYC: Trends, Statistics, and Notable Incidents

New York City’s construction boom has come with a steep cost in construction worker injuries and fatalities. Construction remains one of NYC’s most dangerous industries, regularly accounting for a large share of workplace deaths. This overview examines recent and long-term trends in New York City construction accident statistics across the five boroughs – from the numbers of injuries and fatalities to their causes and locations – drawing on official data and reports. It also highlights major incidents and safety initiatives, providing a data-rich picture of construction safety in NYC.

Long-Term Trends in NYC Construction Accidents

Injuries on the Decline After a 2018 Peak: NYC saw a surge in construction-related injuries through the 2010s, peaking in 2018 when 759 construction workers were injured citywide​. That year was one of the most dangerous for NYC construction in recent memory. In 2019, however, injuries dropped for the first time in nearly a decade – falling to 595 injuries (down 21% from 2018)​​. Injuries declined again in 2020 to 502 (another 15% drop)​, aided in part by a shutdown of nonessential construction during the COVID-19 pandemic. This two-year improvement marked a reversal of the previous rising trend.

Recent Uptick in Injuries: After 2020, construction activity rebounded and so did accidents. Worker injuries ticked up slightly in 2021 (around 505 injuries citywide) and then climbed about 10% in 2022 to 554 injuries​. Even so, 2022’s injury total remained well below the 2018 peak, indicating that overall injury counts are still lower than the late 2010s high-water mark​. The City attributes the post-2018 decline in part to enhanced safety training requirements and proactive inspections, though the recent rise in 2021–2022 correlates with another building boom​.

Fatalities Fluctuating Year to Year: Fatal construction accidents in NYC have averaged in the double digits annually.

In 2018 and 2019, 12 construction workers lost their lives each year in NYC. Fatalities then fell in 2020, when 8 workers were killed on construction sites​ – likely impacted by reduced work during the pandemic. However, deaths have crept back up: the city recorded 9 fatalities in 2021 and 11 in 2022 on building construction sites​. By the broader count (including all construction sectors), worker deaths in NYC reached 24 in 2022, matching pre-pandemic 2019 levels​. Early data for 2023 presents a mixed picture: the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) reported only 7 construction-related deaths in 2023 (the fewest in nine years), even as a separate analysis found 30 total construction worker fatalities citywide in 2023 – the highest in a decade​. (The discrepancy is due to different counting methods, discussed below.)

Ten-Year Snapshot: The table below summarizes recent NYC construction accident figures, illustrating the rise and fall of incidents over the past several years:

Sources: NYC Department of Buildings Construction Safety Reports​. Note: NYC DOB fatality counts cover building construction sites; other sources report higher totals including all construction work.

Overall, the long-term trend shows a boom-driven surge in accidents through 2018, a subsequent improvement in 2019–2020, and a concerning rise again in 2021–2022 as construction activity resurged. City officials have touted the recent declines in fatalities on DOB-regulated sites, but watchdog groups point out that total construction deaths citywide are again reaching high levels​. This underscores the ongoing challenge of construction safety in NYC even as regulatory efforts expand.

NYC vs. New York State: A Comparison

Construction safety is a statewide concern, and New York City consistently represents a large share of New York State’s construction accidents. NYC alone accounted for roughly half of all construction fatalities in New York State in recent years. For example, in 2022, 24 construction worker deaths occurred in NYC – out of 50 statewide construction fatalities​. In 2023, construction deaths statewide jumped to 74 (a 10-year high), with 30 of those in NYC​. In other words, the five boroughs contributed about 40% of New York State’s construction fatalities in 2023.

Not only do raw numbers remain high, but fatality rates in both NYC and New York State exceed the national average. A recent analysis calculated NYC’s construction fatality rate at 11.5 per 100,000 workers in 2022, higher than the U.S. construction fatality rate (~9.6 per 100,000)​. New York State’s rate was around 10.4 in 2023​. In fact, construction deaths made up 22% of all worker deaths in NYC and 24% of all workplace deaths in New York State (compared to about 21% nationwide)​ – highlighting how disproportionately deadly the construction industry is locally.

One bright spot: New York City’s construction safety measures on building projects seem to be yielding improvements within that subset. As noted, DOB recorded 7 building-site fatalities in 2023 (a multi-year low)​. But when including all construction work (such as road, transit, and smaller projects outside DOB’s purview), NYC’s fatality count is much higher. This discrepancy arises because NYC’s official statistics focus on DOB-permitted building construction, whereas OSHA and BLS counts include all construction-related deaths (including highway construction, utilities, etc.)​. Thus, city officials may report lower numbers than federal datasets or watchdog groups. Both perspectives are important – the city’s data helps track safety on regulated building sites, while the broader data captures the full scope of risk to construction workers across NYC.

To put NYC in context, here is a comparison of recent construction fatalities in NYC versus New York State:

Sources: NYCOSH “Deadly Skyline” report (BLS/OSHA data)​.

Both city and state saw construction deaths climb in 2021–2023 after a brief dip in 2020, prompting renewed calls for safety enforcement. New York’s construction fatality numbers are now at their highest in a decade​, indicating that despite local improvements on some sites, broader efforts are needed to protect workers across the industry.

Top Causes of NYC Construction Accidents

Construction is inherently hazardous, but a few causes dominate the serious incidents in New York City. Falls from heights are by far the leading cause of construction site injuries and deaths. Year after year, worker falls (from scaffolds, roofs, ladders, elevator shafts, etc.) account for the largest share of accidents. In 2019, for instance, falls comprised about 25% of all construction-related incidents in NYC – the single biggest category​. Falls were also the deadliest hazard: that year, 6 of the 12 construction fatalities (50%) were due to workers falling​. This trend continues: in 2022, falls led to an estimated 200 injuries and 9 fatalities on NYC construction sites​. Nationwide OSHA statistics show falls make up nearly 40% of construction deaths, and NYC’s data reflects the same grim reality​.

Other major causes include struck-by incidents, where workers are hit by falling objects or debris. Materials or equipment falling from heights cause roughly 10% of construction accidents in NYC. These incidents can be fatal – e.g. falling objects contributed to 4 of the 12 deaths in 2019​. New York’s dense urban worksites, with cranes, hoists, and tall scaffolds, pose constant risks of tools or materials dropping onto workers or pedestrians below.

Equipment-related accidents are another concern. Heavy machinery (cranes, excavators, forklifts, etc.) and power tools can lead to accidents if they fail or are misused. In 2019, about 4% of NYC construction incidents were attributed to mechanical construction equipment issues​, including cases of cranes collapsing or loads slipping. Crane accidents, while relatively rare, tend to be high-profile in NYC – for example, a tower crane collapse in Manhattan in 2008 killed 7 people​, one of the worst construction disasters in the city’s history. More recently, in July 2023, a large crane atop a high-rise caught fire and collapsed in Midtown Manhattan, raining debris onto the street. Miraculously no one was killed in that incident, but 12 people were injured as the crane’s boom crashed down​.

Scaffolding failures and falls of partially built structures also contribute to accidents. Scaffolds are ubiquitous at NYC construction sites, and while they are generally safe, any collapse or misuse can be devastating. In one 2017 case, a scaffold collapse in Queens caused three workers to fall to their deaths when heavy materials were improperly dropped on the scaffold​. Overall, scaffold-related accidents typically make up a smaller percentage of the total (a few percent of incidents​), but they often overlap with the fall hazard (workers falling with the scaffold).

Finally, a broad category of “other construction-related” incidents encompasses various mishaps – from tripping over materials, to electrical shocks, to smaller tool-related injuries. In 2019, over half of reported construction incidents in NYC fell into these miscellaneous categories​. While individually less frequent, they collectively injure many workers. The common thread in many of these accidents is safety lapses: lack of fall protection, inadequate training, poor housekeeping on sites, or ignored protocols. In fact, an investigation found that in 74% of fatal construction accidents in New York, the employer had an OSHA safety violation at the site (for example, missing fall protection where a worker fell)​. This suggests that many accidents are preventable with proper safety measures.

Boroughs and Seasons: When and Where Accidents Happen Most

Construction hazards are present citywide, but some boroughs see more incidents than others. Brooklyn and Manhattan consistently lead in construction accidents, reflecting their high volume of construction activity. Manhattan, with its concentration of large developments and high-rise projects, often logs the most injuries of any borough. For example, in 2020 Manhattan had 255 injured workers – the highest borough total​. Brooklyn, on the other hand, has emerged as the leader in fatalities. In 2020, Brooklyn recorded **6 construction deaths (more than any other borough)​, and it continued to outpace others in subsequent years.

In 2022, Brooklyn accounted for 8 of NYC’s 19 OSHA-recorded construction fatalities, the most of any borough​. Queens and Manhattan followed with 4 each, then the Bronx with 2 and Staten Island with 1​. Even under the DOB’s narrower count, Brooklyn still represented over half of the city’s construction deaths in 2022​. This is a concerning trend, as it indicates many deadly accidents are happening on Brooklyn job sites (often mid-size buildings or smaller projects in developing neighborhoods). Safety advocates note that a high proportion of these Brooklyn fatalities occurred on non-union sites​, suggesting enforcement gaps at smaller private projects. Meanwhile, Manhattan’s myriad construction sites tend to produce a steady stream of injuries (falls, minor incidents, etc.), even if many are not fatal.

As for when accidents happen, data indicates that warmer months see more construction activity and thus more incidents. Construction work peaks in spring and summer in NYC, given the more favorable weather for building. For instance, industry reports often note clusters of accidents in the late spring: in one recent year, three fatal construction accidents occurred in May alone​, prompting urgent safety crackdowns. Summer and early fall also tend to be busy (and unfortunately, deadly) times on construction sites – e.g. July 2021 saw multiple fatal falls that triggered citywide stop-work orders. In contrast, winter months (when outdoor work slows) generally have fewer accidents, though indoor construction and renovation continue year-round. While every season has risks, late spring through fall is typically the most dangerous period for NYC construction workers due to the sheer volume of projects underway.

Notable Incidents and Safety Initiatives in Recent Years

Tragically, New York City has seen a number of high-profile construction accidents that underscore the industry’s dangers. Some notable incidents from the past few years include:

• Borough Park Trench Collapse (Brooklyn, 2022): In September 2022, a construction worker in Borough Park, Brooklyn, was killed when an improperly secured trench collapsed on him at a site lacking proper shoring. This incident, investigated by OSHA, highlighted persistent safety issues in excavation work and was one of the fatalities contributing to Brooklyn’s high death toll that year.

• Queens Elevator Shaft Fall (May 2021): A 32-year-old construction worker fell down an elevator shaft to his death at a site in Long Island City, Queens​. This was one of three fatal accidents in May 2021 alone. In another case just days later, a 49-year-old worker in Brooklyn fell four stories from a Flatbush roof during a demolition, also resulting in death​. Such incidents of workers falling from heights (often without proper harnesses) were alarmingly frequent.

• Midtown Crane Collapse (July 2023): During morning rush hour on July 26, 2023, a crane atop a high-rise under construction in Midtown Manhattan caught fire and partially collapsed. The crane’s boom crashed into a neighboring building and then to the street. Miraculously, no one was killed; however, 9 civilians and 3 firefighters were injured in the chaos. The preliminary cause was a hydraulic fluid leak that sparked the fire. This dramatic incident grabbed headlines nationwide and served as a reminder of the potential for disaster at urban construction sites.

• Tribeca Crane Collapse (February 2016): A 565-foot crawler crane collapsed in Tribeca, Lower Manhattan, during high winds, sweeping across several city blocks. One person (a pedestrian) was killed and several were injured. This led to new NYC rules on wind restrictions for cranes. (While a bit older, this accident is often cited in discussions of crane safety in NYC.)

In response to such tragedies, city authorities and regulators have ramped up safety measures. The NYC Department of Buildings launched a series of “zero-tolerance” safety sweeps in 2021 and 2022, temporarily shutting down hundreds of worksites with serious violations. In June 2021, after a spate of seven construction fatalities in the first half of the year, DOB inspectors fanned out across the city and halted work at 322 construction sites found to be unsafe (over one-third of those were in Brooklyn)​. These unannounced sweeps aimed to pressure contractors into compliance with safety rules. Similarly, DOB has increased enforcement actions overall: in 2019 it issued over 95,000 safety violations (OATH/ECB summonses) to contractors – a huge volume of enforcement intended to correct unsafe conditions​. Stop-work orders are now routinely used when imminent hazards are observed; for instance, 2022 saw an uptick in stop-work orders corresponding with the rise in injuries​.

On the legislative side, New York State enacted Carlos’ Law (effective late 2022/early 2023), which significantly raises the penalties for contractors and corporations found criminally liable in construction accidents resulting in death or serious injury​. This law was named after Carlos Moncayo, a young worker who was killed in a 2015 NYC trench collapse, and is intended to deter negligence by threatening much larger fines (up to $500,000) for safety crimes. Along with existing laws like New York’s Scaffold Law (which places absolute liability on owners/contractors for gravity-related injuries), the legal framework in NY is pushing companies toward safer practices – at least on paper.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Non-union job sites, often smaller projects, continue to see a disproportionate share of fatalities – nearly 80% of construction workers who died on private (non-union) sites in NYC were non-union laborers​. Many of these workers are immigrants or undocumented, and they may face pressure to work quickly without adequate training or equipment. Advocates argue that stronger enforcement and training, regardless of union status, are needed to reach these more vulnerable job sites.

Conclusion

Construction is the lifeblood of New York City’s growth, but the toll on its workforce is an urgent concern. The data shows that while safety improved around 2019–2020, accidents have not been eliminated – and in fact, total construction fatalities in NYC are again at alarming highs. Hundreds of workers are injured on NYC construction sites each year, and dozens are killed, predominantly due to well-known hazards like falls and falling objects. These incidents are not random inevitabilities; investigations reveal that most stem from preventable safety lapses and violations​.

There are some positive signs: enhanced training (over 259,000 NYC construction workers have now obtained required safety training cards)​, stricter laws, and aggressive enforcement may be gradually making the most regulated job sites safer. But the persistence of deadly accidents – especially on smaller projects and in outer boroughs – shows the need for constant vigilance. New York City’s construction boom must be met with an equally robust safety commitment from both regulators and the industry. Every statistic in this report represents a person: a worker who came home injured or perhaps never came home at all. By learning from the data and the stories behind it, NYC can work toward the goal of building its future without sacrificing lives in the process.

Have you or a loved on been injured in a construction accident in New York City?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. The legal and financial consequences of a serious injury can be overwhelming—but help is available. At The Orlow Firm, our experienced New York construction accident attorneys are here to fight for your rights, hold negligent parties accountable, and help you get the compensation you deserve.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and guide you through every step of the legal process. Call us at (646) 647-3398 or fill out our online contact form to get started. No fees unless we win your case.

Sources:

• NYC Department of Buildings – Annual Construction Safety Reports and press releases​, nyc.gov, nyc.gov, ​nyc.gov, ​nyc.gov

• NYC Department of Buildings – Construction accident incident reports (2018–2022)​, nyc.gov, nyc.gov

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (New York City data)​, bls.gov, ​nrca.net

• NYC Committee for Occupational Safety & Health (NYCOSH) – Deadly Skyline reports​, wnylabortoday.com, enr.com

• OSHA and NYC DOB data via news reports (CBS New York, Engineering News-Record, etc.)​, cbsnews.com

• New York City news outlets (CBS, Reuters, NYC.gov press releases) for incident details​, cbsnews.com, abc7ny.com.