Masonry Magazine August 1965 Page. 7
Special Report:
On a subject matter of vital concern to every responsible mason contractor
INSURANCE FOR CONTRACTORS
By Walter T. Derk, Fred S. James & Co.
The Mason Contractors Association of America is pleased to present this Special Report on "Insurance For Contractors". It is a comprehensive guide to liability exposures common to the Construction Industry and the Insurance coverages available to protect against them. The Report will cover General Liability, Property Damage, Contractual Liability, Illinois Scaffolding Act, Automobile Liability and Workmen's Compensation. Make sure you read this and every part of this masonry feature.
Part VIII
THE ILLINOIS SCAFFOLD ACT
Most contractors doing work in Illinois are at least somewhat familiar with the Structural Work Act (III. Rev. Stat. 1953, chap. 48, pars. 60 to 69) commonly known as the Scaffold Act. Indeed, a great many have intimate knowledge as a result of suits totaling millions of dollars.
When originally passed into law by the Illinois legislature in 1907, the Scaffold Act satisfied a definite need. There was then no Workmen's Compensation remedy available to employees injured in the state, so the regulatory statute was established to safeguard workmen engaged in hazardous occupations. That need was eliminated six years later when the Illinois Workmen's Compensation Act was passed, yet the Scaffold Act was re-enacted as recently as 1951. Briefly, the statute says:
"That all scaffolds, hoists, cranes, stays, ladders, supports or other mechanical contrivances, erected or constructed by any person, firm or corporation in the State for the use in the erection, repairing, alteration, removal or painting of any house, building, bridge, viaduct or other structure, shall be erected and constructed in a safe, suitable and proper manner, and shall be so erected and constructed, placed and operated as to give proper and adequate protection to the life and limb of any person or persons employed or engaged thereon, or passing under or by the same, and in such manner as to prevent the falling of any material that may be used or deposited thereon."
It is broad enough, therefore, to take in most any contrivance used by contractors and has been held to include even placing planks across saw horses.
Penalties for failure to comply are twofold:
(1) "Any owner, contractor, subcontractor, foreman or other person having charge of the erection, construction, repairing, alteration, removal or painting of any building, bridge, viaduct or other structure within the provisions of this Act, shall comply with all the terms thereof, and any such . . . persons violating any of the provisions of this Act shall upon conviction thereof be fined not less than $25, nor more than $500 or imprisoned for not less than three months nor more than two years or both fined and imprisoned..."
(turn to page 9)
This material is copyrighted by Walter T. Derk, 1963, and can not be reproduced in any manner without the written permission by both Mr. Derk and the MCAA.
MASONRY August, 1965
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