BCW and Scaffold Reform Group Urge Bill’s Passage

A coalition of business groups including the Business Council of Westchester has sent a letter to members of the New York State Legislature once again asking that its members co-sponsor a bill that would reform the state’s Scaffold Law.

“New York remains the only state in the nation to impose absolute liability on construction projects under a statute known as the ‘Scaffold Law.’ This outdated law holds property owners and contractors fully liable for worksite accidents, regardless of the contributing fault of the worker. Due to this absurd standard, it costs more to build in New York than anywhere else in the country,” the group said in its appeal to Legislators.

John Ravitz, Executive Vice President and COO of the Business Council of Westchester, said reforming the law has been a top priority for the BCW and has been included in its Legislative Agenda submitted to Albany each year.

The law is estimated to have added more than $200 million to the cost of constructing the Tappan Zee Bridge.