$1 Million Sandblasting Injury Settlement, Bronx

Raphaelson & Levine secured a $1 million settlement for a sandblasting worker who was injured beneath the Whitestone Bridge when a clogged pressurized hose discharged abrasive material into his left leg, causing severe tissue damage.

An Industrial Equipment Failure Under the Whitestone Bridge

Sandblasting is one of the most hazardous jobs in industrial construction. Workers operate pressurized equipment that fires abrasive media at surfaces to strip paint, rust, and coatings from structures like bridges. The pressure required to do this work is enormous — and when something goes wrong with the equipment, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Our client was sandblasting beneath the Whitestone Bridge when the hose became clogged. As pressure built behind the blockage, he lost control of the hose, and the abrasive discharge struck his left leg with enough force to penetrate his protective clothing and tear into the underlying tissue.

Proving Equipment Failure and Safety Lapses at a Bronx Job Site

Our construction accident attorneys investigated the equipment and the job site protocols and found multiple failures. The sandblasting hose had not been inspected according to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, and the clogging was caused by a known issue with the equipment that proper maintenance would have prevented.

More critically, the employer had no written procedure for safely clearing a hose blockage — a foreseeable hazard in sandblasting work. Industry standards require a specific shutdown sequence when a hose becomes clogged, including depressurizing the system before attempting to clear the blockage. Workers at this site had received no training on this procedure and were effectively left to figure it out on their own while holding a piece of equipment operating at industrial pressures.

$1 Million for a Bronx Industrial Equipment Injury

The $1 million settlement compensates our client for the severe leg injury, surgical treatment, skin grafting, rehabilitation, lost wages, and the lasting damage caused by an industrial equipment malfunction that proper maintenance and training would have prevented.

"Sandblasting hoses operate at pressures that can cut through steel coatings — so when one malfunctions and hits a worker's leg, the damage is severe. The equipment hadn't been maintained, there was no procedure for handling a clog, and the workers had no training on what to do when pressure builds. Every one of those failures is on the employer."

— Steven November, Attorney at Raphaelson & Levine

If you've been injured by industrial equipment, pressurized machinery, or any workplace hazard in the Bronx or New York City, our Bronx construction accident attorneys have experience with complex industrial injury claims and employer negligence, and are ready to review your case. Contact us for a free consultation.