THE ELECTRICAL STUB UP OVER WHICH PLAINTIFF TRIPPED IN THIS LABOR LAW 241(6) ACTION WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION; THE INDUSTRIAL CODE PROVISIONS REQUIRING PASSAGEWAYS TO BE KEPT CLEAR OF DEBRIS GENERALLY DO NOT APPLY TO AN OBSTRUCTION WHICH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF CONSTRUCTION; HERE THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE SAFETY MARKERS CALLING ATTENTION TO THE STUB UPS APPARENTLY BROUGHT THE FACTS WITHIN THE REACH OF THOSE “KEEP PASSAGEWAYS FREE OF DEBRIS” CODE PROVISIONS (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the Industrial Code provisions which require passageways to be kept clear of debris applied to electric “stub ups” which protrude from the floor, even though the stub ups are integral parts of the construction, to which those Code provisions do not apply. Apparently the absence of safety markers calling attention to the stub ups was deemed to be covered by those “free of debris” Code provisions:

Although neither subdivision (1) nor (2) of 12 NYCRR 23-1.7(e) applies where the object over which the plaintiff trips is an integral part of construction …, that exception does not apply here. While it is undisputed that the stub up was an integral part of the construction, none of the defendants have pointed to evidence that it was necessary that the stub ups be unmarked or that safety markings or other protective measures would have interfered with the work … . Murphy v 80 Pine, LLC, 2022 NY Slip Op 04811, Second Dept 8-3-22

Practice Point: The Industrial Code provisions requiring passageways to be kept clear of debris do not apply to tripping hazards that are integral parts of construction. Here the electrical stub up over which plaintiff tripped was an integral part of construction. Nevertheless, the Second Department deemed the Code provisions to apply because of the absence of safety markers to alert workers to the location of the stub ups (which protrude from the floor).