If you’re a property owner or manager, you face a host of risks on your property every day. And few things can strike terror in the minds of landlords and renters quite like the word “fire.” In multiple-unit buildings with multiple families, a small blaze can quickly turn into a widespread disaster. That kind of disaster could send your business into a financial tailspin.

From 2012 through 2016, three hundred twenty-five U.S. contract workers died as a result of electrical injuries. And construction trade workers represented a whopping 57 percent of fatal electrical accidents during that time.

One thing you can always count on with the New York workers’ compensation insurance system is change. Major reforms were enacted in 2007, and last year the state’s 2017 budget included some of the biggest changes since 2007.

If you own vacant property, whether it’s a private home or a commercial building, you know it’s an asset that comes with many hazards – and a lot of stress.

With the rise in construction excavation and trenching fatalities in recent years, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is taking action by ramping up its education and prevention initiatives.

Cybercrime victims lost more than $1.4 billion in 2017, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). IC3 received more than 301,580 complaints last year, an increase from 298,728 complaints in 2016. In fact, the number of complaints has been steadily increasing each year since 2013.

New York may soon legalize recreational marijuana, and already has a Medical Marijuana Program. More recently, Governor Cuomo announced a workgroup dedicated to drafting legislation for an adult-use marijuana program in the state. For employers, the possible impact on employment practices and workers’ compensation claims must be considered.

The construction industry is constantly evolving. To help you stay ahead of the game, here are a few recent key developments in the industry.

Uber can’t catch a break. On July 13, the popular ride-sharing service was ordered by New York State’s Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board to provide unemployment benefits to three drivers and others “similarly situated.” In 2016, the company agreed to a settlement of $84 million to $100 million for hundreds of thousands of California and Massachusetts drivers who were fighting for employee status and applicable benefits. And just last November, the company lost an appeal of a London decision ordering it to pay minimum wage and paid time off to drivers.

The construction industry is full of rules and regulations – and they’re always changing. To help you keep up, here’s a roundup of the latest legal developments to impact New York construction.