There has been increased focus on worker's rights in recent months, owing to several fatal accidents from high rise construction sites. On Jan. 14 Yurley Vanchytsky fell 42 stories to his death from the Trump SoHo tower. Jose Palacios fell 12 stories from a Clinton Hill project. And the list goes on.
These accidents have prompted a Scaffold Worker Safety Task Force, but the commitment to ensuring worker's rights is called into doubt by recent proposals to gut Section 240 of the Labor Law. New York is currently the only state to have such a law, which reserves for worker's the right to sue their employers should they fall and sustain debilitating, or mortal, injuries. Pro-business types blame it for rising insurance premiums, which they claim make their costs unnecessarily high, and Mayor Bloomberg has expressed support for revising the law. Pro-worker types cite it as a vital tool in preserving worker's rights.
At present the city cannot track contractor's performance across job sites, complicating (or, better said, negating) the possibility of holding contractor's accountable for the on-site protection of their workers. Also at issue is the use of non-union workers, who the unions claim make for a more accident-prone jobsite.
The city provides training on scaffold safety, but they use vague terminology when explaining what, exactly, that training consists of, and how effectively it is enforced. They also have no mechanisms of enforcement. In response to the Scaffold Worker Safety Task Force finding that "speaking English as a second language, or speaking a language different than that spoken on the job site was often a factor in fatal construction accidents," they have started outreach events in all five boroughs, distributing safety information in multiple languages. But how effective, and comprehensive, is this program? How many workers actually receive the training?
Through interviews with contractors, scaffold providers, workers, and acquaintance with the training materials provided to scaffold workers, I will explore the current situation in the city. In addition, I'll be looking at the unfolding debate on the Labor Law 240, contacting union leaders, contractors, and business organizations who are organizing with the aim of repealing, or heavily "reforming" the law.
My project will also include a video component, which explains the laws regarding scaffold safety with visual examples of the proper, and improper, construction, and use, of scaffolding. I have already begun compiling footage of various job sites around the city, particularly those that have already witnessed worker accidents.
These accidents have prompted a Scaffold Worker Safety Task Force, but the commitment to ensuring worker's rights is called into doubt by recent proposals to gut Section 240 of the Labor Law. New York is currently the only state to have such a law, which reserves for worker's the right to sue their employers should they fall and sustain debilitating, or mortal, injuries. Pro-business types blame it for rising insurance premiums, which they claim make their costs unnecessarily high, and Mayor Bloomberg has expressed support for revising the law. Pro-worker types cite it as a vital tool in preserving worker's rights.
At present the city cannot track contractor's performance across job sites, complicating (or, better said, negating) the possibility of holding contractor's accountable for the on-site protection of their workers. Also at issue is the use of non-union workers, who the unions claim make for a more accident-prone jobsite.
The city provides training on scaffold safety, but they use vague terminology when explaining what, exactly, that training consists of, and how effectively it is enforced. They also have no mechanisms of enforcement. In response to the Scaffold Worker Safety Task Force finding that "speaking English as a second language, or speaking a language different than that spoken on the job site was often a factor in fatal construction accidents," they have started outreach events in all five boroughs, distributing safety information in multiple languages. But how effective, and comprehensive, is this program? How many workers actually receive the training?
Through interviews with contractors, scaffold providers, workers, and acquaintance with the training materials provided to scaffold workers, I will explore the current situation in the city. In addition, I'll be looking at the unfolding debate on the Labor Law 240, contacting union leaders, contractors, and business organizations who are organizing with the aim of repealing, or heavily "reforming" the law.
My project will also include a video component, which explains the laws regarding scaffold safety with visual examples of the proper, and improper, construction, and use, of scaffolding. I have already begun compiling footage of various job sites around the city, particularly those that have already witnessed worker accidents.
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