There are renewed calls for more safety oversight over high rise construction projects in New York City after two tradies at two different job sites plunged to their deaths on the same day.  A third worker was injured.

36-year old father of five Juan Chonillo had come from Ecuador more than a decade ago to earn extra money for his family, and found himself on the non-union, 200-meter tall, luxury condominium project in Manhattan to be named "One Seaport" on the East River. 

The site has been the subject of nine construction-related code violations, and had been fined thousands of dollars.  A day earlier, NYC buildings inspectors issued a partial stop-work order that was still in effect because of the unsafe operation of a crane. 

Workers were about to begin the process of pouring the concrete floor on the 29th storey when Mr. Chonillo plunged to the ground.

"They were freeing the crane from the building.  The cable got stuck somehow," said his cousin Angel Munoz to the New York Daily News.  "He was trained and certified.  I worked on three towers with him.  He was always careful."

Across Manhattan, two workers fell eleven meters from a boom lift (also called a bucket lift, or cherry-picker); one landed on his face and died, the other landed on his side and was rushed to hospital with head and other injuries.  This happened at 401 9th Avenue, which had been temporarily shut down in June when yet another worker plunged five storeys to his death.

"What happened today further reinforces our point that safety is inclusive and accidents and deaths can happen to anyone," read the statement from Brian Sampson, president of the Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. 

Gary LaBarbera of the Construction Trades Council of Greater New York called for "comprehensive safety training for all construction workers throughout New York City", adding that construction job site deaths are "an epidemic that must end now".