Opinion ID: 2618356
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Scope of a General Contractor's Duty

Text: As stated above, we believe that § 414 establishes the scope of a general contractor's duty of care. Although a general contractor has a general duty to provide a reasonably safe workplace for the employees of subcontractors, the scope of this duty extends only as far as the amount of control the general contractor retains over the work of the subcontractor. See Mason v. Arizona Public Serv. Co., 127 Ariz. 546, 551, 622 P.2d 493, 498 (App. 1980) (The duty to provide a safe place to work generally extends no further than the control retained by the [general contractor].); Kelley v. Wright Constr. Co., 90 Wash.2d 323, 330, 582 P.2d 500, 505 (1978); Prosser and Keeton on Torts § 71, at 510 (5th ed. 1984) (so far as a general contractor retains control over any part of the work, he must exercise reasonable care). This is the rule set out in § 414. This court previously adopted § 414 as the law of Arizona and held that its protection extends to the employees of subcontractors. See Matsumato v. Arizona Sand & Rock Co., 80 Ariz. 232, 236, 295 P.2d 850, 853 (1956) (applying § 414 to third persons); Manhattan-Dickman, 113 Ariz. at 553, 558 P.2d at 898 (applying § 414 to independent contractors); see also Welker v. Kennecott Copper Co., 1 Ariz. App. 395, 405, 403 P.2d 330, 340 (1965) (holding that protection provided by § 414 applies to employees of independent contractor). Under § 414, then, Riebe's duty of care extended as far as the scope of its retained control over the construction of the Mohave High School addition, and Riebe is liable for any injury caused by its negligent exercise of that retained control. In a long line of cases, the court of appeals previously treated the § 414 retained control issue as a question of law for the court. See generally, e.g., Mason v. Arizona Public Serv. Co., 127 Ariz. 546, 622 P.2d 493 (App. 1980); Sullins v. Third & Catalina Constr. Partnership, 124 Ariz. 114, 602 P.2d 495 (App. 1979); Pruett v. Precision Plumbing, Inc., 27 Ariz. App. 288, 554 P.2d 655 (1976); Chesin Constr. Co. v. Epstein, 8 Ariz. App. 312, 446 P.2d 11 (1968); Welker v. Kennecott Copper Co., 1 Ariz. App. 395, 403 P.2d 330 (1965). This approach was based on the presumption that without retained control, a general contractor owes absolutely no duty of care to employees of subcontractors. See, e.g., Sullins, 124 Ariz. at 120, 602 P.2d at 501. We reject this analysis and conclude that a general contractor has a general duty to provide employees of subcontractors with a reasonably safe place to work. In a case alleging general contractor liability under § 414, the scope of this duty is determined by the amount of control the general contractor retains over the subcontractor's work.