New York State’s so-called “Scaffold Law,” which makes construction companies 100% liable for work-site injuries, is under heavy criticism for driving up the cost of construction projects.
Critics say the law will inflate the cost of the Gateway project, a new tunnel underneath the Hudson River for Amtrak and NJ Transit, by up to $300 million, according to a report in the New York Daily News. The law costs taxpayers at least $785 million annually and private businesses that work on public projects $1.49 billion per year, according to a study by SUNY Rockefeller Institute.
By consuming more tax dollars, the law has diminished the city’s ability to create more affordable housing, a housing advocate says. Insurance policies have become much tougher for contractors to obtain, a situation so dire that a coalition of builders on Long Island wants the state to declare “an insurance state of emergency.”
The president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York says the law has been effective in preventing injuries and saving lives, and challenged critics to prove that the law has hurt companies’ finances.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 30, 2017
Denser development could reduce emissions more than building energy retrofits
More tightly packed cities would cut building emissions significantly, study says.
Codes and Standards | Jan 27, 2017
Calif. legislator proposes statewide solar mandate for new buildings
It would be the first such requirement in the U.S.
Codes and Standards | Jan 25, 2017
Standard baseline for measuring building efficiency needed
EUI could push sustainability through market-driven approach.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Workers, local officials rally for new construction safety law in New York City
The new law would require those who work on 10-story-plus buildings to go through an apprenticeship program.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Prominent Atlanta construction executive faces charges in $1 million bribery scheme
The company has worked on some major projects, including Hartsfield Airport.
Codes and Standards | Jan 20, 2017
New resource lists green incentives by state
USGBC's new Public Policy Library includes tax and energy benchmarking policies.
Codes and Standards | Jan 18, 2017
How green leases benefit owners and tenants
Agreements to spur efficiency upgrades are slowly gaining popularity.
Codes and Standards | Jan 17, 2017
Intl. Code Council looks into code changes for cross-laminated timber structures
Most codes limit CLT structures’ height.
Codes and Standards | Jan 16, 2017
Building codes for existing buildings evaluated in new white paper
The paper examines implementation, enforcement challenges, and changes needed in new code editions.
Codes and Standards | Jan 13, 2017
New BIM guide for owners released
National Institute of Building Sciences releases a manual for developing standard set of BIM documents.