Why Should New York Keep its Scaffolding Law?
While every state has its own laws, some take a different legal stance than most of the nation when it comes to work performed at elevated heights. Much to the dismay of insurance companies, construction company owners and general contractors, such states have laws that hold them strictly liable when their lack of safety measures lead to work injury.
The New York Scaffold Law is an example of a strict liability law and lists devices that fall under this area of construction liability, including:
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If you work at elevated heights on a job that involves erection, demolition, repair, alteration, painting or cleaning, the scaffold law offers you protection.
Construction workers face risks every day that most people avoid through desk jobs or less-hazardous occupations. Climbing onto ladders and performing tasks on a scaffold are particularly dangerous. We all know how devastating a fall can be, often resulting in death or permanent disability. The law is appropriate because our state has its fair share of skyscrapers and other tall buildings.
Although insurance companies and businesses continue lobbying to get rid of the scaffold law, the president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, Gary La Barbera, defends the law’s integrity. He says blaming accident victims for their injuries must end.
If you suffer serious injury while working at high elevations in Suffolk or Nassau County, an experienced personal injury lawyer can explain your rights for pursuing compensation.