New York Scaffolding Law
Injury Attorneys Who Are On Your Side
The “Scaffold Law” requires that general contractors and building owners follow safety procedures and provide safety equipment that will prevent falls from heights at construction sites. Because 
the Courts interpret the law (Labor Law Sec. 240 of the New York Code) to apply to “elevation-related hazards,” the construction site scaffolding law does not only apply to scaffolding safety, but any situation in which gravity poses a danger, including workers on rafters, roofs, balconies, window ledges, cranes, stairs and suspended platforms. Necessary safety training and protective gear and equipment must be provided to prevent falls, such as harnesses, ropes, hoists, netting, and guard rails.
Contact a powerful and well-established law firm if you need a New York scaffolding law attorney in your corner. Contact Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP by calling toll-free at (800) 692-3717 or reaching us online to schedule your free consultation with a scaffolding accident lawyer.
NY Scaffold Law Protects High-Rise Construction Site Workers From Injury
Construction worker falls can be devastating and deadly. Back injury, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, broken bones, shoulder and neck injury, and injuries requiring surgery happen too often on building sites.
Although Labor Law 240 is commonly called the “scaffold law,” it might be more appropriately called the “gravity law” because it applies to all sorts of incidents that involve the forces of gravity. Some of the situations covered by Labor Law 240 include:
- Falls from scaffolding, ladders, and raised platforms
- Falls from roofs
- Objects and tools falling from height onto workers
- Falls through unfinished floors to the level below
- Falls down elevator shafts
Common causes of scaffolding injuries include:
- Insufficient training
- Failure to follow safety protocols
- Weak planking
- Defective equipment
- Missed or misaligned attachment points
- Parts failure
- Inadequate fall protection
- Changing weather conditions
- Overloading
- Unsecured materials
In each case, property owners or general contractors are liable. Under the NY Scaffold Law, this liability cannot be delegated to a third party such as a subcontractor. Property owners and general contractors are responsible for the safety of workers at height, and they can be held accountable under the law if they don’t meet that responsibility.
Injured workers can use the NY scaffolding law to collect compensation and, with knowledgeable injury attorneys on their side, potentially collect damages and compensation beyond workers’ compensation benefits. However, you need to prove that a violation of Labor Law 240 occurred, and that requires a thorough investigation and a clear understanding of the nuances of scaffolding injury claims. This is why you need an experienced scaffolding injury lawyer.
Call an experienced NY scaffold law attorney to fight for your rights and safety
The Scaffold Law not only saves lives by reducing the number of fatal workplace accidents, but also helps construction site workers injured due to insufficient safety equipment. If you were hurt by a fall from up high at work or a worker fell on you on or near a construction site, call Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP toll-free at (800) 692-3717 or contact us online for a free evaluation. We serve communities in New York, including Staten Island, Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester, Rockland, the Bronx, and Manhattan.