New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
AMENDMENTS TO
TKELABOR LAW
Engineer Tells of Changes
That Will Benefit
Realty Owners.
BY SAMUEL ROSENBLUM,
Consulting Engineer for the Greater
New York Taxpayers Association.

New York Taxpayers Association.
The recodihcation OF the labor law,
recently introduced in the Legislature,
and upon which a hearing was held IN
the Senate in A bany, contains some
vital changes which will greatly beneht
the property owner.
While there are a great many more
amendments TO the labor law which
the property owners would like to see
adopted, these changes will afford the
owner of a factory an opportunity 20
present reasons for securing a modih-
cation Of the present requirements.
The chief difficulty with the law az
present is It's mandatory feature, leaY-
ING no alternative for the Labor De-
partment but TO enforce its require
mouts. Under the provisions OF sec
ton 80 of the proposed recodihcatIon.
| known as the section on variations II
there are practical difficulties or un-
necessary hardship in carrying out any
provisions Of the labor law relative 70
the construction of buildings, the IN
stallation of fixtures and apparatus OF
the safeguarding Of machinery ana pre-
vention of accidents, the industrlal
board is given the power 10 MAKE d
variation from such requirements, pro-
vided the spirit OF the provision OF
rule is observed and public safety Sc
cured. A person affected By these rules
/ or his representative can appeai TO tne
/ industrial board, stating the GROUNDS
| for his request, and at the hearing on
| such appeal can be present IN person
1 or by a representative. provision IS
also made for n public record OF Farla'
/ tions granted.
The same rules and requirements
| should not be applicable 20 a bulldlne
/ having, say, ten people and Duildlhg ~
which several hundred are employed
/ l. is difficult 10 lay down hard and
/ fast rules and expect all buildings 20
conform 10 the same. There must be
some reliable body with authority "a
/ vary such rule, in accordance with the
speciGc conditions found 10 exist IN Ger
+ .ain tyres Of buildings, provided the
/ sririt Of the law relative to safety is
secured. .
There have been many instances
where a factory owner could offer
method Of improving the conditions II
his factory which would be as ad
v7ntaceous "a the present require
rrar+s Of the law, be just as safe anC
in some instances afford greater Sc
curity besides being cheaper 70 install
but could not be accepted by the La
hor Department under the present
provisions of the law. This condition
will now be amended.
By this new section the owner may b'
able TO save a considerable sum, with
out IN any way endangering the safety
of the occupants. He can avail him
self Of the experience of an engineer
thoroughly familiar with the require
meuts not only Of the labor laws. bu
Of other departments, who may be abl'
to suggest a method Of securing safe
~ which will meet the approval of th'
Industrial board and the Labor De
partment, and at the same time reduce
his cxnerditure 10 a minimum.
The other important changes in tbs
recodGcation are the new definition Of
a factory and factory building. A
present a factory is defined as a place
where one or more persons are EN-
ployed at labor, while under the new
definition the person must be engaged
in manufacturing.