New York painters are at occupational risk at construction sites.
Every day throughout New York City, construction projects are buzzing as the city continually renews itself. While people may not think right away about the involvement of painters as part of the construction team, they contribute heavily to most projects and in doing so are exposed to particular occupational risks.
Painters Are Essential Part Of Construction Teams
Painters are needed in different types of construction projects at various stages of completion:
- Painters finish interior surfaces of residential, commercial and public buildings
- Painters finish exterior building surfaces
- Painters seal bridge and other outdoor infrastructure surfaces
- Painters seal the interiors and exteriors of various tanks
- And more
As part of their jobs, painters handle different paint, solvent and finish products composed of a variety of materials and chemicals, some potentially dangerous. They must prepare surfaces before applying new finishes, a process that may include cleaning, scraping, chemical application and more. As members of the construction team, they face the same risks as other construction workers, including elevation-related risks (falls from inadequate scaffolds and ladders), tripping and slipping hazards and more.
Occupational Risks Of Painters
Types of hazards painters face may include:
- Falls from ladders, roofs, ledges, platforms, scaffolds and more
- Exposure to electrical wires and combustible materials
- Exposure to harmful fumes
- Splattering of paint, solvents and other products into eyes
- Inside work in confined spaces with poor ventilation
- Exposure to debris that may fall or create tripping hazards
- Slipping risks on wet surfaces or loose tarps
- Unsafe equipment that may be faulty, or poorly designed or maintained
- Inappropriate choice of ladder type
- Exposure to mold and other unsanitary conditions
- Exposure to potentially toxic substances in paints and solvents, both in removal and application, including lead
- Legal Remedies In New York For Painters’ Work Injuries And Illnesses
It is very important for any New York painter who is injured on the job or develops a medical condition that is work-related to contact an experienced construction injury attorney as soon as possible. Workers’ compensation claims and other legal remedies have deadlines that, if missed, could prevent recovery. An informed personal injury lawyer can advise his or her clients about those deadlines, and potential legal remedies, depending on the circumstances:
- Workers’ compensation
- Third-party personal injury lawsuits against parties other than employers whose negligence or recklessness contributed to the painter’s injury
- New York Scaffold Law strict liability claims against owners of jobsites or contractors
- And others
Consult knowledgeable legal counsel like one from the New York City construction accident law firm of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C., about your painting injury or illness as early as possible in order to preserve all potential claims.
