1105 West Peachtree Avenue Construction Site Accidents

Selig Enterprises is set to transform an entire city block in Midtown Atlanta with its $530 million multi-tower mixed-use development at 1105 West Peachtree Avenue. The 3.5-acre development is slated to feature 675,000 square feet of office space, a 64-unit condominium tower, and a 175-key hotel.

Google, one of the project’s major office tenants, is said to be taking up to 400,000 square feet of the office space, and Marriott will house a “full service, culinary driven concept” hotel featuring ample space inside their facility for conferences and events. The condo tower is expected to be comprised of residential units that range in price from $600,000 up to $2.2 million.

The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the third quarter of 2021, with some components likely to be finished by the end of 2020. The project will be partially financed with a $340 million construction loan from the Blackstone Group. The Selig Enterprises project is one of several ongoing developments in Atlanta’s Midtown district.

Midtown Resurgence Helping to Power Atlanta’s Local Economy

Atlanta is among the most popular destinations for those who are seeking good paying jobs and a better quality of life. Unemployment in this area is below 5%, cost-of-living is reasonable, and the area is home to the third-highest number of Fortune 500 companies in America. The Atlanta Regional Commission projects that there will be an additional 1.5 million jobs created in the area within the next 20 years.

One of the major drivers behind Atlanta’s employment boom is the resurgence of the city’s Midtown district. Midtown boasts upwards of 26 major development projects that are completed or are in the pipeline.

These developments feature millions of square feet of office space, hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and residential units. And like the 1105 West Peachtree development, many of the companies that are moving in are in the technology sector. This will attract a large number of young professionals to the area.

The ongoing development boom is also creating hundreds of thousands of construction-related jobs. As a result, there is a great need for construction workers, electricians, structural iron and steel workers, and other skilled tradesmen to help bring these projects to fruition.

Workplace Hazards in Atlanta Construction Sites

While all of the new jobs that are being created to build the 1105 West Peachtree Avenue development and other Midtown Atlanta projects is good news for the local economy, there is a potential downside. Construction is a very dangerous industry, and workers are at risk of serious injuries and fatalities if something goes wrong on the jobsite.

The worker fatality rate in the construction industry is much higher than the all-industry average, and according to OSHA, more than one out of every five workplace fatalities is construction related. With major projects like the one on West Peachtree Ave., there are a lot of moving parts, and the development team must work together in a fast-paced environment with heavy equipment and machinery. They are also often called upon to work in high elevations and in tight, compact areas where effective coordination and precision is a must.

It is incumbent upon developers and construction managers to closely follow OSHA safety regulations and other best practices in order to keep their workers safe. Otherwise, the chances of a serious accident are greatly increased. Unfortunately, many of those in charge of construction projects routinely violate OSHA standards.

Among the most frequently cited OSHA safety violations include:

• Fall protection;
• Scaffolding and ladder protection;
• Respiratory protection;
• Control of hazardous energy;
• Machinery and machine guarding;
• Electrical systems design;
• Hazard communication;
• Eye and face protection.

Common Accidents and Injuries in the Construction Industry

Nearly 60% of all construction-related fatalities result from what OSHA dubs the “fatal four”:

• Slips, trips, and falls, which account for 33.5% of the total construction-related deaths;
• Being struck by or struck against a hard object or surface, which accounts for 11.1% of construction fatalities;
• Electrical injuries, which account for 8.5% of construction fatalities;
• Being caught in between/crush injuries, which account for 5.5% of industry fatalities.

OSHA notes that vehicle collisions are also a leading cause of death in the construction industry. Workers regularly transport tools, equipment, and supplies into an out of a typical job site, and they spend a lot of their time on the road, where they are at risk of accidents with other drivers. There are also construction vehicles on site that may accidentally collide into a person or object.

There are number of serious injuries that can happen as a result of Atlanta construction site accidents, such as:

• Neck and back injuries;
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI);
• Fractures/broken bones;
• Amputations/loss of limbs;
• Spinal cord injuries;
• Paralysis;
• Severe burn injuries;
• Exposure to toxic substances.

Who is Responsible for Atlanta Construction Site Injuries?

For those who suffer a serious workplace injury, it can be a life-altering event. In addition to the major medical bills and lost earnings, there are intangible costs; such as the enormous physical pain an injured worker has to endure, and the emotional trauma and stress of not knowing when they will recover, and when their life can return to normal.

Unfortunately, workers’ comp only provides limited reimbursements for the losses that are suffered, leaving those who are in this situation without the compensation they need and deserve. There may still be hope for additional assistance, however, depending on the situation.

Construction site accidents are complicated events in which there are numerous potential contributing factors, and there are several parties that may share responsibility for what happened. Some of the parties that may be held liable for a construction accident include:

• Those responsible for a faulty structural design;
• Subcontractors working alongside construction company employees whose negligence causes an accident;
• Drivers of other vehicles that collide into the vehicle of a construction worker;
• Designers, manufacturers, and distributors of defective or dangerous tools and equipment.

If any of these or other outside parties are at fault for a construction injury, it may be possible to file a personal injury claim against them for full damages, including non-economic losses such as pain-and-suffering, psychological distress, and diminished quality of life; and in some limited cases, punitive damages when the actions of the responsible party were especially egregious.

Contact Bailey, Javins, & Carter, L.C. for Assistance with Atlanta Construction Site Accidents

If you or a loved one suffered injury while working on the 1105 West Peachtree Avenue development or any other construction site in Fulton County, you need strong legal counsel in your corner fighting hard for every dollar of compensation you deserve.

At Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C., we have extensive experience successfully representing clients who have been injured in all types of workplace accidents, and we work closely with our clients, exploring every potential legal avenue toward recovering maximum compensation. Call our Atlanta office today at (678) 981-5370 or message us online to set up a free consultation with a member of our legal team.