It is the legal responsibility of both general and sub-contractors to make sure that the site is as safe as possible, and that they forewarn anyone on the premises of existing hazards or potentially dangerous conditions they might be exposed to.  Generally, a contractor or sub-contractor’s duty to ensure a safe environment (to the extent that they can exercise control over a portion of the construction site) includes the hiring of reasonable and competent employees, and adhering to safety regulations.

If a worker is injured at a construction site, the contractor is at fault and is legally responsible to compensate for the damages.  If Contractor Liability Insurance has been purchased, the damages are paid for by the company from which the policy has been bought and the contractor will not absorb the financial repercussions.  Most contractors (or sub-contractors) are required to purchase this type of insurance.

If the contractor (or sub-contractor) knowingly withholds information that leads to an incident, they (and often, those under whom they are employed) become personally at fault, and liable for whatever injuries suffered.  In addition, if the contractor (or sub-contractor) acted against or unbeknownst to his or her employers, they can also be held liable for this behavior.