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Williams, Kallos, Menchaca Statement on Construction Worker Killed at Upper East Side Work Site
NEW YORK, NY : Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Chair of the Housing and Buildings Committee, Council Member Ben Kallos, Chair of the Government Operations Committee, and Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Chair of the Immigration Committee released the following joint statement after a construction worker fell to his death after falling down an elevator shaft on the Upper East Side Friday morning. STATEMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WILLIAMS, KALLOS, MENCHACA "We're saddened to offer our prayers of peace and comfort to the family and friends of yet another young man who lost his life on a New York City construction site. If it is even possible to make such news worse, getting it during the holiday season must be unimaginable. My thoughts are with them. "This fatality marks the 30th construction worker death this City has experienced since 2015. There is no other industry where workers would die at this rate without significant preventative recourse. The atmosphere of safety belongs to the developer, construction company and the worker. Government must be unyielding in making sure that the atmosphere truly exists and is compulsory. "While we have seen some progress in improving safety on job sites, the progress is not happening fast enough as the casualty number rises. The time has passed when condolences are not enough; only action will do. If we cannot provide answers to New Yorkers, we should start shutting down sites that have had persistent safety problems immediately."