Labor Law § 240 (1) imposes absolute liability on all contractors and owners, and their agents, whose failure to provide proper scaffolding, ladders and certain other protective devices results in injuries to workers engaged "in the erection, demolition, repairing, altering, painting, cleaning or pointing of a building or structure" ( see, Gordon v. Eastern Ry. Supply, 82 N.Y.2d 555, 559; Rocovich v. Consolidated Edison Co., 78 N.Y.2d 509, 513).
Here, plaintiff Victor Bustamante was injured when he fell from a ladder while cleaning the tops of partitions in Chase's offices. This situation comes within the purview of section 240 (1), which specifically includes workers injured while engaged in "cleaning * * * a building". While a narrow limitation to section 240 (1) exists for workers who are injured while engaged in the routine cleaning of windows of private residences ( Brown v Christopher St. Owners Corp., 87 N.Y.2d 938; Connors v. Boorstein, 4 N.Y.2d 172), that limitation does not apply to workers injured while cleaning officers ( Buendia v. New York Natl. Bank, 223 A.D.2d 456, lv dismissed 88 N.Y.2d 962; Terry v. Young Men's Hebrew Assn., 168 A.D.2d 399, 400, affd 78 N.Y.2d 978; cf., Smith v. Shell Oil Co., 85 N.Y.2d 1000).
Concur — Sullivan, J. P., Milonas, Rosenberger, Ellerin and Mazzarelli, JJ.
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