The law was enacted as early as 1885 to safeguard construction workers who were put in hazardous situations as a result of working in higher elevations
New York, N.Y (PRWEB) January 06, 2014
Contractors and workers are fighting over a proposed change in New York's Scaffold Law. According to a Dec.17 report in The New York Times, the law was enacted as early as 1885 to safeguard construction workers who were put in hazardous situations as a result of working in higher elevations. The law required employers on building sites to ensure worker safety.
But a group of contractors, property owners and insurers have launched a campaign against the Scaffold Law arguing that the law is out-of-date and unfair to construction companies by absolving workers of responsibility for accidents, causing insurance premiums to skyrocket, The New York Times article states. The workers and unions say that the existing Scaffold Law helps ensure the safety of workers in some of the world's most dangerous jobs, particularly those employed by construction firms that might cut corners on safety to save money, according to the article.
New York personal injury lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm who has represented many injured construction workers, including victims of scaffold-related accidents, say the Scaffold Law offers construction companies some incentive to put mandated safety measures in place. "The law states that contractors and property owners are responsible for making sure that scaffolds, hoists and other devices are constructed and used in a safe manner. If this law is changed, workers are left with little or no protection."
New York's Scaffold Law protects workers and creates a sense of accountability at construction sites, Wilhelm says. "Construction workers who fall from scaffolds or heights suffer significant injuries and can even die as a result of their injuries. Workers and their families suffer tremendous financial and emotional burdens as a result of these tragic accidents. Many of these workers are unable to return to work."
It is important that the workers of New York continue to have a voice, Wilhelm says. "It is unfair to make them shoulder undue burden. Changing the Scaffold Law to benefit construction companies and property owners will put hard working men and women at a significant disadvantage and place them in serious danger of suffering severe injuries on the job."
About the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm
The Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm is a personal injury litigation firm with an unwavering dedication to its clients. With more than 42 years of experience, our firm strives to obtain the best compensation for those who have been injured or those who have lost a loved one due to an accident or by someone else's negligence. We handle cases dealing with personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, workers' compensation, dental malpractice, motor vehicle accidents including car, bus, train and truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, rape, paralysis, comas, seizures, false arrest, lead poisoning, trips and slips and falls, falls on sidewalks or stairs, elevator accidents, construction accidents, Erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, brain damage, blindness, hearing loss, dog bite cases, fire and smoke inhalation accidents, bicycle accidents, falls from windows or scaffolds, food poisoning injuries, and many other types of accidents and injuries.
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