flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

New York’s ‘Scaffold Law’ under fire for driving up project costs

Codes and Standards

New York’s ‘Scaffold Law’ under fire for driving up project costs

Lawmakers under pressure to reform law that makes contractors 100% liable for work-site injuries.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | December 20, 2018
Man on scaffolding

Courtesy Pixabay

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

| Feb 22, 2012

ACI BIM manual for cast-in-place concrete in development

The improved communication, coordination, and collaboration afforded by BIM implementation have already been shown to save time and money in projects.

| Feb 20, 2012

Comment period for update to USGBC's LEED Green Building Program now open

This third draft of LEED has been refined to address technical stringency and rigor, measurement and performance tools, and an enhanced user experience.

| Feb 20, 2012

GAF introduces web portal for architects and specifiers

The new portal offers a clean look with minimal clutter to make it easier to find the technical information and product data that architects need.

| Feb 17, 2012

AGC advocates for federal procurement reform

Ensure that small business goals take into consideration actual small business capacity in relevant specialty markets.

| Feb 17, 2012

Codes not to blame for Anchorage roof collapses following heavy snows

Design or construction problems likely contributed to the collapses, according to city officials.

| Feb 17, 2012

Comment period opens March 1 for LEED 2012 update

USGBC says that LEED's strength comes from its continuous evolution.

| Feb 17, 2012

OSHA training videos on proper respirator use available online

17 short videos to help workers learn about the proper use of respirators on the job.

| Feb 17, 2012

Union/employer collaboration on the rise aimed at exceeding OSHA safety standards

Unions have learned to help employers win contracts with bids made competitive through good safety practices.

| Feb 16, 2012

Gain greater agility and profitability with ArchiCAD BIM software

White paper was written with the sole purpose of providing accurate, reliable information about critical issues related to BIM and what ArchiCAD with advanced technology such as the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server provide as an answer to address these issues.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021