In keeping with the new zero-tolerance policy for unsafe construction site, the New York City Buildings Commission has issued 1,500 stop work orders, inspected 7,500 building sites, and issued 3,600 violations to contractors and site safety professionals for failing to keep sites safe.
It’s the latest in the city’s crackdown on unsafe construction sites designed to highlight worker safety and the maintenance of building codes.
The sweep came after seven fatalities at New York City construction sites happened in the first five months of the year. The most recent death was that of a 49-year-old worker who fell from a retail bank project roof in Brooklyn on May 27.
Dept. of Buildings “Enforcement is of critical importance in promoting safety at construction sites; but the reality is that we cannot be in all places at all times,” La Rocca said in a statement. “To protect the lives of the working men and women who are building in our city, we need our partners in the construction industry to step up and join us in pushing for enhanced round-the-clock supervision and greater accountability.”
Brooklyn had the most sites visited, with inspectors hitting 2,757 in the borough. However, the largest number of stop-work orders were issued in Manhattan, where inspectors ordered stoppages at 545 of the 1,645 sites they visited.
While the sweep is over, department inspectors will continue making unannounced safety inspections at work sites as well as additional interventions at sites that “were found to have egregious site safety violations,” officials said.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a New York City construction site accident, contact us for a free initial consultation.
