A 75-member group calling itself the Scaffold Law Reform Coalition, which includes the Associated Builders and Contractors, the New York State Builders Association and the Hoisting and Scaffolding Trade Association, made a similar appeal last year to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and echoed the same concerns, such as the cost of liability insurance and the extra cost to taxpayers.
A 2017 Common Good report estimated that the Scaffold Law added $785 million to New York public projects.
One of the biggest beefs that critics have about the law is that contractors and developers are financially responsible for falls even if an accident is caused by the injured employee’s actions.
