A worker on a crew building a luxury hotel in New York City was killed Tuesday when he fell 24 stories down an elevator shaft.
According to a report from the New York Daily News, 25-year-old Christian Ginesi and one other worker were attempting to install an elevator door frame at the Riu Hotel Times Square when their lift car stalled 5 feet above the landing of the 24th floor.
The paper reports that the two men decided to jump from the stalled car to the landing. The other worker made it safely, but when Ginesi attempted the jump, he lost his footing and fell down the shaft.
Rescue workers pulled him from the base of the shaft and rushed him to the hospital. He was pronounced dead about 45 minutes after the fall.
City officials issued a stop work order after the incident and, “slapped the elevator subcontractor, G-Tech Associates, with a Class 1 violation for failure to safeguard workers,” the paper reports.
Falls are the number one cause of death in the construction industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging contractors and construction firms to participate in the upcoming fall prevention safety stand-down May 4-15.
