Roof Falls in Staten Island, NY
Labor Law 240 Claims
Injured in a roof falls on a Staten Island construction site? Under Labor Law 240, owners and contractors bear absolute liability. Free consultation — no fee unless we win.
Roof Falls in Staten Island: What Workers Need to Know
Staten Island is one of New York City's most active construction markets, with 18,000 active permits and roughly 280 major construction sites at any time. NYC Department of Buildings data shows 980 construction injury reports filed annually in Staten Island alone. Falls account for the majority — including roof falls, which involve the type of elevation-related hazard that Labor Law 240 (the "Scaffold Law") was enacted to address. When a Staten Island construction worker is hurt in a roof falls, New York law places full liability on the property owner and general contractor — not the injured worker.
Labor Law 240 in Staten Island
New York Labor Law § 240 — the Scaffold Law — creates absolute liability for owners and general contractors when a worker is injured by an elevation-related hazard. The liability standard is: absolute.
In Staten Island, every construction project — from a retail/mixed-use like Empire Outlets to a single-family renovation — is covered. The contractor's failure to supply adequate scaffolding, ladders, or fall-protection equipment triggers liability regardless of the worker's own actions.
How Roof Falls Happen
Understanding the mechanics of a roof falls matters in a Labor Law 240 case — it determines which specific duty the owner or contractor breached.
Unguarded leading edge
Roofing work by definition takes place at a leading edge — the frontier of completed surface. Workers installing membrane, shingles, or flashing must approach the edge continuously. When personal fall arrest systems are not rigged or are attached to anchors with insufficient capacity, a slip or stumble at the edge produces a free fall onto the grade or lower roof below. NYC DOB data shows roofing falls account for 31% of construction fatalities.
Skylight and roof-opening falls
Fragile fiberglass skylights bear no load; a worker who steps on one punches through. Similarly, open elevator shafts, mechanical penetrations, and poorly covered floor openings on roofs are frequently obscured by debris, snow, or insulation material. Fall distance through a skylight opening is typically the full floor-to-floor height of the story below — 10 to 14 feet in residential, 14 to 18 feet in commercial.
Slope and pitch hazard
On sloped roofs above 4:12 pitch, static friction alone cannot prevent a worker from sliding once movement begins. Wet sheathing, ice, or compressed roofing felt reduces friction to near zero. Slide speeds reach 10-15 mph before the edge, and the trajectory carries the worker off the eave rather than stopping at the drip edge. Injuries are concentrated in the spine, pelvis, and lower extremities on landing.
Where Staten Island Cases Are Filed
Staten Island County Supreme Court
18 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301
13th Judicial District · Second Department
- Lower volume
- More residential construction cases
- Conservative jury pool
Major Construction Sites in Staten Island
Roof Falls risks are concentrated wherever large projects operate. These are the highest-activity sites in Staten Island right now:
Empire Outlets
Retail/Mixed-use
$350 million
Complete
St. George Waterfront
Mixed-use development
$500+ million
Phases ongoing
NY Wheel (cancelled)
Entertainment
N/A
Cancelled - site redevelopment
Trauma Centers in Staten Island
These are the accredited trauma centers that receive the most serious Staten Island construction injuries. Medical records from these facilities become key evidence in your claim.
Staten Island University Hospital — North
475 Seaview Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305
The only Level I trauma center on Staten Island. Receives nearly every serious construction injury on the island; transfers to Manhattan or Brooklyn add 30-60 minutes by ambulance.
Richmond University Medical Center
355 Bard Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10310
Level II trauma center serving the North Shore. Coordinates with SIUH for the most severe cases.
Union Locals in Staten Island
The primary unions covering Staten Island construction workers are: LIUNA Local 66, IBEW Local 3, Ironworkers Local 361, Carpenters Local 157. Full list includes 12 active locals on Staten Island job sites.
Union membership does not limit your Labor Law 240 rights. Your union cannot negotiate away your right to sue the property owner for an elevation-related injury. Workers' compensation from your union fund and a personal injury lawsuit are separate claims — you are entitled to both.
OSHA Standards That Apply to Roof Falls
29 CFR 1926.501 — Fall Protection - General Requirements
6,763 citations in FY2024 nationwide. OSHA citations for this standard on a Staten Island job site are admissible in a Labor Law 241(6) claim.
New York's Industrial Code Rule 23 (12 NYCRR Part 23) adds state-specific requirements on top of OSHA. A violation of Rule 23 that proximately caused your injury can establish liability under Labor Law 241(6), independent of Labor Law 240.
Staten Island Construction History
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (1959-1964) — At completion the longest suspension bridge in the world, connecting Staten Island to Brooklyn. Three ironworkers died in falls during construction. The deaths drove the federal requirement for safety nets on bridges over 25 feet — a rule that the Hard Hat Riders local 40 ironworkers had pushed for unsuccessfully for decades. Modern Labor Law 240 fall-protection cases still cite the Verrazzano construction record.
Frequently Asked Questions: Roof Falls in Staten Island
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This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Case outcomes depend on the specific facts of your situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Haddock Law is a referral network connecting injured workers with licensed New York attorneys who handle Labor Law 240 cases on a contingency basis.