In New York, Labor Law Section 240 governs injuries at a worksite. Under the New York labor law, an owner or contractor can be held responsible for a workers injuries only when the failure to provide proper safety equipment was a cause of the injury and not when the sole proximate cause was the worker's own action. A new bill, under consideration by the New York State Legislature, would place a comparative negligence standard regarding Labor Law section 240.
Read the New York Trial Lawyers view of Labor Law Sec. 240 here. If you have been injured at a contruction site, contact my office.