(NEW YORK CITY) - A New Report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) shows that construction Deaths more than tripled on New York City Work Sites in 2012, with 21 Workplace Fatalities versus six from the year before.  

The sudden surge coincides with an Uptick in Building Projects in the Region and represents the Most Construction Workplace Deaths the City has seen since the Recession began in 2008.  Of the 21 Fatalities, eight were caused by Building Collapses and eight were caused by Falls. Another four Workers were killed from Falling Debris and one Worker was fatally wounded from an unspecified injury.  Broken up by Borough, nine were found in Manhattan, four in Brooklyn and Queens - respectively, three in the Bronx, and one on Staten Island.

Bittersweet, a Major Work Surge is being blamed for the Higher Death Toll.

Henry Robbins, a Real-Estate Expert with Yale Robbins Incorporated, explained to The New York Post: “The more activity you’ve got, the more problems you’re going to have.  It’s like the more miles on your car, the greater likelihood of an accident.”

It took the Slow Work Period of 2009-2011 to amass 21 Construction Fatalities in New York City.  Compare that to 2006-2008, before the Collapse of the Housing Bubble, when 83 Workplace Fatalities were reported.  

However, the OSHA report found that Workplace Fatalities were less common on Union Worksites.  Nearly three quarters of Fatalities in 2012 occurred on Non-Union Sites.  The Agency’s Study also showed that 72% of Deaths in 2012 occurred on Non-Union Work Sites, with 28% occurring on Union Sites.

“Union-Construction Sites are Inherently Safer for Workers than Non-Union Sites,” Building Trades Employers Association President Louis Coletti. “At the end of the day, the most ‘important thing’ is getting our Employees home to their Families.”