Manslaughter Charges In Construction Accident
The rigger responsible for the death of seven people after a crane collapse last year in New York City is being brought up on manslaughter charges by Manhattan prosecutors. Also included in the construction accident charges is Rapetti Rigging Services, the overall contractor on the site. Jeffrey Lichtman, senior partner at Trolman, Glaser and Lichtman had this to say about the impending ruling:
I have seen a growing number of accidents involving crane collapses throughout the city. In this particular case, William Rapetti, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment and second-degree assault. This case exposes the missteps by city agencies as well as the Buildings Department’s lack of attention to public safety. A series of these fatal collapses has led to the resignation of the city’s building commissioner and the arrests of its chief crane inspector. Unfortunately, these accidents are a result of the workload brought on by the city’s last real estate boom. My hope is that the scrutiny following this case sets stricter adherence to public safety and develops strong guidelines for crane operators, in turn, preventing accidents like this from occurring.
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