A02835 Summary:
BILL NO | A02835 |
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SAME AS | SAME AS S06816 |
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SPONSOR | Morelle (MS) |
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COSPNSR | Schimminger, Lopez V, Magee, Galef, Robinson, Gabryszak, Hevesi |
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MLTSPNSR | Hawley, Jordan, Lupardo, McDonough, McEneny, McLaughlin, Miller D, Murray, Sayward, Tenney, Walter |
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Add S1414, CPLR | |
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Relates to the applicability of certain provisions with respect to persons injured in the use of scaffolding and other devices for use by employees. |
A02835 Memo:
Go to topNEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)   BILL NUMBER: A2835 SPONSOR: Morelle (MS)
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the civil practice law and rules, in relation to the applicability of certain provisions with respect to persons injured in the use of scaffolding and other devices for use by employees   PURPOSE: To establish a comparative negligence standard for claims under Labor Law sections 240 and 241 with respect to a recalcitrant worker.   SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Amends the Civil Practice Law and Rules to add a new Section 1414. This section applies a comparative negligence stand- ard as provided for in CPLR 1411 with respect to actions for personal injury, property damage or wrongful death arising under Labor Law Sections 240 and 241 to the extent the conduct relates to the following: a criminal act, use of drugs or alcohol, failure of the employee to use safety devices furnished at the job site, failure to comply with employ- er instructions regarding the use of safety devices at the job site, or failure of the employee to comply with safe work practices in accord with safety training programs provided by the employer.   JUSTIFICATION: The construction industry is currently facing a liability insurance crisis. Contractors are receiving insurance cancel- lation notices and being forced to seek coverage from non-admitted carriers with exclusions from coverages at exorbitant rate increases. Many contractors are concerned that existing coverage no matter how limited will also evaporate from the market. This insurance coverage crisis is especially difficult for smaller contractors. Many insurance carriers who have withdrawn from the market are citing the costs associ- ated with absolute liability pursuant to the so called safe place to work law provided for in Labor Law Sections 240 and 241. This legislation attempts to take a limited approach to this problem by applying comparative negligence standards to a recalcitrant worker. This approach falls significantly short of repeal but attempts to contain the costs of absolute liability in a fair manner by making an employee who directly contributes to his injury liable for the portion of fault assessed by a jury for his own conduct. This comparative negligence standard is only applied in limited circumstances such as commission of a criminal act, use of drugs or alcohol, failure to use safety devices at the job site, failure to comply with employer instructions regarding the use of safety devices at the job site or failure of the employee to comply with safe work practices in accord with a safety program provided by the employer. The latter provision encourages employers to afford training certified by OSHA or the State Labor Department to its employ- ees. This bill does not take away the right of any injured worker to sue. Rather it makes a recalcitrant worker responsible for his own conduct. This approach encourages workplace safety by encouraging workers to take responsibility for their own safety. There are conflicting court cases that apply the doctrine of recalcitrant worker and this bill would clar- ify worker responsibility. This bill would establish a uniform standard for the application of the recalcitrant worker doctrine. It also is a modest change in the absolute liability of the safe place to work stat- ute that remains the only such statute in place among the other 49 states.   LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: A.2528 of 2007-2008: Held in Labor. A.1895 of 2009-2010: Referred to Judiciary both years.   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.   EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.
A02835 Text:
Go to top STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2835 2011-2012 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 20, 2011 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MORELLE, DESTITO, SCHIMMINGER, V. LOPEZ, MAGEE, CYMBROWITZ, GALEF, ROBINSON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. HOOPER, LUPARDO, McENENY, TOWNS, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary AN ACT to amend the civil practice law and rules, in relation to the applicability of certain provisions with respect to persons injured in the use of scaffolding and other devices for use by employees The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The civil practice law and rules is amended by adding a new 2 section 1414 to read as follows: 3 § 1414. Applicability to certain actions. 1. In any action or 4 proceeding to recover damages for personal injury, injury to property, 5 or wrongful death pursuant to section two hundred forty, subdivisions 6 one through five of section two hundred forty-one, or section two 7 hundred forty-one-a of the labor law, where safety equipment or devices 8 have been made available, and a person employed or otherwise entitled to 9 the protection of the provisions of such section has failed to follow 10 safety instruction or safe work practices in accordance with training 11 provided, or failed to utilize provided safety equipment or devices, or 12 engaged in a criminal act or was impaired by the use of drugs or alco- 13 hol, and such failure, act or impairment is a proximate cause of an 14 injury to such person, the conduct attributable to such person shall not 15 bar recovery, but the amount of damages otherwise recoverable shall be 16 determined in accordance with section fourteen hundred eleven of this 17 article to the extent that such conduct relates to the commission of a 18 criminal act, impairment caused by the use of drugs or alcohol, the 19 failure to use safety equipment or devices, the failure to comply with 20 instructions or training regarding the use of safety equipment or 21 devices or the failure to otherwise comply with safe work practices in 22 accordance with safety training programs provided to such person. Such EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05792-01-1A. 2835 2 1 training programs shall include, but shall not be limited to, courses in 2 construction safety and health certified by the United States Occupa- 3 tional Safety and Health Administration or the department of labor. 4 2. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to impose or 5 create liability under such sections of the labor law referred to in 6 subdivision one of this section, where a person employed or otherwise 7 entitled to the protection of the provisions of such sections has failed 8 to follow safety instructions or safe work practices in accordance with 9 training provided, or failed to utilize provided safety equipment or 10 devices, or engaged in a criminal act or was impaired by the use of 11 drugs or alcohol, and such failure, act or impairment is the sole proxi- 12 mate cause of an injury to such person. 13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all 14 causes of actions accruing on or after such date.