Lawmakers in Albany are being asked by landowners and general contractors to limit lawsuits for accidents which happen on construction sites. The attorneys of Morgan Levine are traveling to the State Capitol to lobby Congress and fight for our clients.
If these owners and contractors get their way, all of the hardworking construction workers who put their lives on the line everyday will be put in harms way and nobody will be held accountable. The owners and contractors will just profit more from the project.
Under the New York Labor Law, the owner of property where construction, demolition or renovation is being performed, and the general contractor who oversees the project, are responsible for making sure certain hazards and dangers are not at the job site. Under the new proposed changes in the law, this responsibility would no longer exist.
The most common type of danger covered by the Labor Law include falls from a height, like falling from a ladder or scaffold or any other type of mechanism workers use to climb on a work site. Owners of property and contractors are required to make sure the worker has the proper fall protection safety apparatus and must ensure the ladder or scaffold is secure and not defective. Under the new laws, owners and contractors can, and will, turn a blind eye to these extremely dangerous work conditions.
Another type of accident is when workers are struck by falling objects at a construction site or when a worker trips and falls due to debris. Under the new proposed law, there would be no responsibility on the owners or contractors.
There are already too many construction site accidents in New York State under the current law. The last thing our construction workers need is to be put further into the most dangerous work conditions with less protections. This is why our attorneys at Morgan Levine will be fighting for your rights this coming week.
If you have any questions or would like to voice your opinion to Congress, contact Jared Levine or Duane Morgan.