Dozens of serious injuries at WTC site went unreported

Daily News investigation shows federal agency did not know of spinal, hip fractures

1 World Trade Center construction workers (Credit: Port Authority)
1 World Trade Center construction workers (Credit: Port Authority)

Thirty-four serious construction accidents at the World Trade Center site went unreported to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to an investigation by the New York Daily News.

Workers suffered injuries including spinal fractures and broken limbs and hips, according to OSHA data. Officials at the newly opened One World Trade Center, which was developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Durst Organization, said job safety was heavily enforced and the two deaths that occurred there were reported.

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Some of the seriously injured workers at the 16-acre site are no longer able to work in construction and continue to undergo rehabilitation, according to the newspaper.

“The Port Authority prioritizes the safety of the 3,500 men and women working to redevelop the 16-acre World Trade Center site every day. These men and women worked shifts 24 hours a day for a total of more than 31 million man-hours since 2006 when the PA World Trade Center Construction assumed responsibility for the site. The Port Authority has dedicated 24/7 safety staff at the World Trade Center site. We take every incident seriously, review circumstances thoroughly, and deliver appropriate remedial action,” a spokesperson for the Port Authority told the newspaper. [NYDN]Mark Maurer