Archinect - News

NYC construction worker fatalities are now at record lows

2024-05-07T17:17:00-04:00

New York City construction worker fatalities have declined to record lows, according to a new report released by the NYC Department of Buildings. Construction-related deaths are now at their lowest point in the past decade despite an increase in injuries at job sites for the third consecutive year, the reporting showed. Injuries requiring investigatory actions increased by 17%, while the leading cause of death continued to be accidental falls as construction activity has largely remained unchanged in each of the five boroughs.

The report includes statistics about the number of new building permit issuances and an increase in the number of new housing units completed between 2020 and the end of last year. The DOB’s full findings can be viewed here.

EPA bans the last commercially used asbestos product in the United States

2024-03-20T11:49:00-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will be banning the use of chrysotile asbestos, the last commercial asbestos derivative available in the United States. The ban will primarily impact the automotive industry and puts an end to the 40-plus years of reforms against its use, which has for a long time been proven to cause multiple forms of cancer.

In a statement on the ban, EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters: "The science is clear — asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. President Biden understands that this concern that has spanned generations and impacted the lives of countless people. That’s why EPA is so proud to finalize this long-needed ban on ongoing uses of asbestos."

CNN noted that the chrysotile type of asbestos is most commonly used to manufacture car brakes and linings and other automotive p...

'Lunch atop a skyscraper' reflects how far construction safety standards have come

2023-07-05T14:49:00-04:00

Eleven men perch precariously on a metal beam, eating lunch, lighting cigarettes or drinking from glass bottles. Wearing only cloth caps as head protection, the men dwarf the hazy background of 1930s New York City and Central Park. Much has changed since workers building the 66-story, 850-foot-tall Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan posed for “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” in 1932, but it remains construction’s most iconic photograph.

The photograph, which was originally displayed in the New York Herald Tribune on October 2, 1932, was and continues to be a positive and widely admired American symbol. However, when examining what’s being depicted, it is undeniable that there is an array of problematic safety violations present, including a lack of proper footwear, personal protective equipment, and fall protection. It reflects how far safety standards have come from a time when they were nonexistent, and workplace fatalities were expected.

Previously on Archinect: Construction fatalities in New York City have reached a three-year high

As noted by Construction Dive, with today’s OSHA standards, the scene depicted in the photo could result in initial fines of approximately $155,000 per person. The photo also symbolizes the ongoing fight for continued worker protection. Construction still remains one of the deadliest industries in the U.S, with slips, trips, and falls among the most deadly hazards. Latino workers als...

Immigrant women detail a 'completely different world' on construction sites in NYC

2023-06-28T11:15:00-04:00

[C]onstruction is a risky job, and even more so for undocumented immigrants, who often work under informal verbal agreements. And for women, being vastly outnumbered on every construction site means more pressure to accept lower pay and mistreatment. That’s why, as more immigrant women don hard hats in New York City, advocates are training them to stand up against exploitation – and transform the construction industry itself.

More than half of New York City’s 200,000-plus-strong construction workforce are immigrants. Myriad abuses abound in informal labor markets, adding to a dangerous climate that last year saw fatalities reach a three-year high.

The women featured in the Guardian article also detailed a culture of sexual discrimination where gender norms are often a reluctant means to financial stability. As one worker stated, “Because we’re women, we are constantly being devalued in these jobs.”

Construction fatalities in New York City have reached a three-year high

2023-04-14T10:00:00-04:00

A new report from the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has shown an alarming increase in construction worker fatalities in the city for 2022.

A total of 11 deaths were recorded for the year, up from 9 the previous year and the 8 that were recorded in 2020. A total of 9 fatal accidents were the result of falls, which injured another 200 workers. Brooklyn led all five boroughs with 6 fatalities, while Manhattan led the tally of injuries at 255.

The DOB says an increase in building activity citywide is at least partially to blame.

This comes a year after the agency enacted a program of “zero tolerance” safety sweeps resulting in stop-work orders at nearly 1,500 construction sites throughout New York City. The year 2022 had a recorded decline in those orders. The report also cited the impacts of better safety equipment for workers and the increased emphasis on safety education practices.

2021 was an increasingly deadly year for construction workers in New York

2023-02-24T14:24:00-05:00

In 2021, 12.1 per 100,000 construction workers in New York state died on the job, a 9% increase from 11.1 the year before, according to a new report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health. The total number of workers who died in the state increased to 61 in 2021, up from 41 in 2020, reported NYCOSH, a membership organization that represents workers, unions and health and safety professionals.

The Committee also found that one-quarter of all workplace fatalities across New York state took place on construction sites, a repeat of the figure contained in the Deadly Skyline Report for 2020. Latino workers accounted for 25.5% of the deaths recorded, keeping pace with a larger grisly national trend. Overall, an average of 53.6 workers have died on job sites each year in New York over the past decade.

The NYC Department of Buildings had the same year enacted “zero tolerance” safety sweeps resulting in nearly 1,500 stop-work orders. The reform efforts were added to recently in the form of the new Carlos’ Law, which will increase the financial penalties on employers in negligent death cases from $10,000 to $500,000 (to a maximum of $1 million). In New York City alone, where 20 workers died, some 89% of construction sites had some form of safety issue, according to a ...

Construction still ranks as one of the deadliest industries in the U.S., according to new survey

2022-12-21T16:24:00-05:00

Construction workers died at a rate of 9.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2021, the BLS reported, down from 10.1 in 2020. That rate has hovered in that threshold for at least a decade. The new per capita figures are the lowest since 2011, but still don’t break the trend. Worker death rate across all industries was 3.6 per 100,000, the highest since 2016.

Among the demographics, immigrant Hispanic & Latino workers were almost twice as likely to die than their U.S.-born counterparts, highlighting an underreported problem nationwide. Slips, trips, and falls were among the most commonly-recorded causes of death, followed by transportation accidents, exposure to toxic substances, and fatal contact with equipment. This comes after news that construction site staffing has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“There is a temptation to see a decline in the fatality numbers as something to celebrate. It isn’t,” Brian Turmail of the Associated General Contractors of America told Construction Dive bluntly. “There is nothing acceptable about nearly 1,000 people losing their lives in our industry.”

New report highlights inadequate oversight of building construction sites by the NYC Department of Buildings

2022-09-14T10:00:00-04:00

According to a new report by the New York State Comptroller’s Office, 89% of the visited active construction sites across New York City had safety issues, highlighting the need for the improvement of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) oversight of construction sites.

Between June 10, 2021 and August 31, 2021, officials from the New York State Comptroller visited 43 construction sites in all five boroughs of New York City. Eighteen of these sites were actively under construction at the time of the visits, and 16 of the 18 sites had a total of 77 safety issues. They included not having a site safety manager; missing or incomplete site safety logs and daily inspection records; and no documentation of workers completing required site safety training or attending mandatory safety meetings.

Previously on Archinect: NYC Department of Buildings shuts down 322 construction sites in 'zero-tolerance' safety sweep

Additionally, the report found that DOB did not issue violations for ...

An adaptive-reuse project in the Bronx has become New York's most notorious construction site

2022-06-07T09:00:00-04:00

This site, where an old building is being transformed into a charter school, has just distinguished itself from the 40,000 other major construction projects in New York City by having its third worker fatality in less than three years. No other construction site in New York City has had this many separate fatal incidents since at least 2003, when the Department of Buildings began keeping electronic records. But despite the pattern of deaths, the consequences have been negligible.

In full view of the Major Deegan Expressway, 20 Bruckner Boulevard, known throughout the New York area as the site of the iconic former History Channel (and later iHeartRadio) billboard, was once the ice storehouse of a former Yankees owner and is now being transformed into a charter school by developer Maddd Equities, who has had a scant $28,000 in fines levied against them in the past years despite the record-high fatalities.

Being a construction worker is one of the most lethal occupations in New York City, with rates of injury and death rising ahead of the pandemic before falling slightly owing to the economic downturn. Most of the men profiled in the Times are nonunion immigrant laborers working for $120-per-day to start, with some being recruited from homeless shelters to meet demands. An OSHA investigation revealed that some deaths were not properly reported for weeks.

Previously on Archinect: Nearly 1 in 4 workplace deaths in New York occur in construction

Multiple stop-work...

NYC construction workers injured at the site of architect Erica Tishman's 2019 death as concerns mount

2022-03-15T13:54:00-04:00

A collapsing floor injured two workers Monday at a midtown office building where falling exterior work killed a prominent architect in 2019. The accident at 729 Seventh Avenue happened just before 10 a.m. During active demolition work on the 18th floor, part of the floor collapsed, sending two workers dropping to the 17th floor. They were taken to area hospitals; their conditions were not immediately clear.

The address is well known as the site where, in December 2019, architect Erica Tishman was struck by a piece of falling debris that her family claims directly resulted from negligence on the part of the property developer and the Department of Buildings. Administrative code charges brought against the former before the New Year are still pending.

Previously on Archinect: Criminal charges have been filed in the accidental death of architect Erica Tishman

Monday’s incident highlights a hidden problem in construction sites across New York City. One recent study by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) revealed a rising number of fatalities amongst construction workers in spite of a continued Covid-induced downturn in new projects. Non-union workers are particularly prone to such accidents. It is not clear at this time whether or not workers on the site were unionized or not.

Passersby injured by falling ice from Billionaires' Row supertall

2022-02-28T13:55:00-05:00

Ice believed to have fallen more than 1,400 feet from a Midtown condo crushed the roof and smashed the windshield of Deneice O’Connor’s car as she drove up Sixth Ave., the shaken motorist said Saturday. “It just crashed down on me. I immediately thought a body had fallen on my car,” O’Connor, 35, told the Daily News.

The ice is believed to have fallen from the SHoP Architects-designed 111 W. 57th Street supertall, one of the world's thinnest skyscrapers and tallest residential buildings in the Western Hemisphere. It is a prominent fixture along “Billionaires’ Row”. Police have also reported that another person, a 17-year-old girl, was injured by falling ice originating from 40 W. 57th Street. The Friday afternoon incidents are being investigated by the city Building Department, with the inspectors issuing a violation against the owners of 111 W. 57th Street.

The TikTok post below shows large panes of ice falling one by one onto the surrounding street as pedestrians walk by.

@japanesecarlos The thump was loud af #nyc #nyclife #nycproblems #omg #newyorker #newyorklife ♬ Paris - Else

Nearly 1 in 4 workplace deaths in New York occur in construction

2022-02-23T15:18:00-05:00

Construction work in New York — city and statewide — remains the most deadly profession in the country. A total of 41 laborers died on the job in New York state in 2020, a decrease from 2019. However, fewer workers climbed scaffolding and pounded nails during the pandemic, so the rate of deaths still rose.

According to an analysis of data from the New York Department of Buildings, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted by the labor group New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), workplace deaths in construction accounted for 24% of on-the-job fatalities in New York, compared to 21% nationwide.

Previously on Archinect: NYC Department of Buildings' 'zero tolerance' safety sweeps have resulted in 1,499 stop-work orders

Latino construction workers are disproportionately impacted, accounting for 18% of fatalities, yet only 10% of the population. In addition, nearly 80% of worker deaths were on non-union job sites. The NYCOSH has called on lawmakers to expand regulations that hold contractors liable for endangering workers.

Criminal charges have been filed in the accidental death of architect Erica Tishman

2021-12-23T18:16:00-05:00

A new development in the 2019 accidental death of architect Erica Tishman as criminal charges have been filed against property owners 729 Acquisitions LLC.

NBC4 New York is reporting that the administrative code charges were brought by the NYC Department of Buildings. The architect’s family had previously pursued a civil case against the development company, which is managed by Himmel + Meringoff Partners, after claiming the architect’s death was essentially her own fault in an initial liability suit brought against the city.

"It is alleged that even though the defendants had been made aware of the deteriorating façade conditions that posed an immediate danger to the public, they failed to make necessary repairs and failed to install a sidewalk shed in front of the building to protect pedestrians from the unsafe façade conditions," NBC is reporting the DOB to have said.

Previously on Archinect: Legal ramifications in the death of architect Erica Tishman escalate: New report shows in...

NYC Department of Buildings' 'zero tolerance' safety sweeps have resulted in 1,499 stop work orders

2021-09-24T15:36:00-04:00

New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca has announced the results of the department’s citywide “zero tolerance” construction safety enforcement campaign.

Since its launch on June 1, 2021, DOB inspectors have conducted safety sweeps at approximately 7,500 building construction sites across all five boroughs, issuing over 3,600 violations to contractors and site safety professionals for their failure to keep work sites safe and 1,499 stop work orders. These aggressive measures are in response to seven building construction-related deaths in New York City in the first half of 2021.

“DOB 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,” said Commissioner La Rocca. “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...

Legal ramifications in the death of architect Erica Tishman escalate: New report shows increased negligence on the part of NYC's Department of Buildings

2021-07-20T19:25:00-04:00

The widower of a beloved architect who died tragically in an accident is now taking aim at the property developers in his ongoing quest for justice.

A judge in New York is now allowing a suit to be brought against Himmel + Meringoff Properties, which manages the Seventh Avenue building through an LLC called 729 Acquisitions. The ruling clears the way for larger damages to be assessed against the company as part of a larger case initiated by the late husband of architect Erica L. Tishman.

Tishman was killed in December of 2019 after being hit by debris from a crumbling terracotta facade that came off the 18-story building managed by Himmel + Meringoff. The development group, which has declined to repair the feature, was subsequently fined a measly $1,250 and ordered by the city to construct a protective shed at a cost of $13,000.

Himmel + Meringoff had reportedly been warned as recently as July of 2019 that the facade of 729 Seventh Avenue was a hazard and in dire need of repair.

P...

NYC Department of Buildings shuts down 322 construction sites in 'zero tolerance' safety sweep

2021-07-01T17:26:00-04:00

The New York City Department of Buildings has shut down 322 construction sites across the city due to hazardous conditions in June 2021.

The DOB issued full and partial stop-work orders to the affected sites, citing more than 1,129 violations for safety and non-compliance issues. In total, the DOB has carried out safety inspections at more than 2,100 of New York’s larger and more complex construction sites. These orders are part of new “zero tolerance” safety sweeps initiated on June 1, 2021 by DOB Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca, in response to a number of construction deaths that occurred earlier this year. Depending on the severity of safety infringements, inspectors issued enforcement actions or completely shut down sites.

Previously on Archinect: With construction injuries on the rise, NYC steps up surprise job site inspections

In addition, the DOB released a new building construction safety report early last week, that outlines construction safety trends in New York in 2019 ...

Architect killed in NYC due to neglected code violations — city tries to dodge liability, claiming NYC sidewalks are inherently dangerous

2020-10-21T12:10:00-04:00

Erica Tishman died last year after rubble fell from 729 Seventh Ave. and struck her in the head. The building had several outstanding violations with the Department of Buildings some of which her family’s lawyers say still hadn’t been addressed when the family sued the city and building owner in August for wrongful death and negligence.

According to Daily News, the city Law Department tried to dodge liability in a new Manhattan Supreme Court filing by saying the city streets are known to be dangerous, so people on sidewalks should be prepared for the worst. The city Law Department wrote: "Plaintiff(s) knew or should have known in the exercise of due/reasonable care of the risks and dangers incident to engaging in the activity alleged," as reported by Daily News. The "activity alleged" here refers to walking on a sidewalk.

NYC architect, Erica Tishman, was killed by falling masonry while walking on a sidewalk in midtown Manhattan in December, 2019

Stephen Rex Brown, writing for Daily News goes further: "In other words, the city is saying that by “voluntarily” walking down the sidewalk, Tishman assumed a risk of injury — including a risk that stonework might fall from a building not properly inspected by the city," he writes.

The case is currently pending.

Wearable safety devices warn workers of construction hazards

2019-12-18T17:34:00-05:00

New wearable technology could help prevent struck-by and caught-between injuries and incidents, found a study from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas released last month by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR). The study outfitted workers with waist belts with vibrating motors to detect possible nearby hazards.

The study explored a system that notified workers through vibrations where nearby machinery and vehicles were in operations. The experiment even went so far as to cover the eyes of the participants, resulting in 95% accuracy in completing tasks.

The research moves forward attempts to limit the rising number of construction related deaths occurring across the industry.

Are San Francisco skyscrapers prepared for the next big earthquake?

2018-04-23T19:09:00-04:00

San Francisco lives with the certainty that the Big One will come. But the city is also putting up taller and taller buildings clustered closer and closer together because of the state’s severe housing shortage. Now those competing pressures have prompted an anxious rethinking of building regulations. Experts are sending this message: The building code does not protect cities from earthquakes nearly as much as you might think.

Taking a hard look at San Francisco's building codes, this NY Times piece goes in depth on what it means for city high rises if the next big earthquake hit. From the 1906 earthquake and fire to current seismic safety, concerns revolve around the number of skyscrapers built on liquefaction zones and buildings left damaged beyond repair.

With cases such as the sinking Millennium Tower and many more high rises planned for the city, San Francisco's seismic risk and building codes are currently being reassessed. The Tall Building Study is the first detailed database of more than 160 high rises, classifying structures by building type.

Employees at Apple's new headquarters keep walking into its famed glass walls

2018-02-16T15:39:00-05:00

There’s been one hiccup since it opened last year: Apple employees keep smacking into the glass.

The Apple headquarters in Cupertino, CA, designed by Foster and Partners, was built with much glass—the building's exterior features the famed curved panels of safety glass while the interior is populated with work spaces, also made from glass. Well, apparently, the favored building material is starting to be a real pain as Apple employees keep bumping into the clear, spotless walls.

This is not the first time Apple's penchant for prioritizing aesthetics over functionality has posed a safety risk. This winter, their flagship store in Chicago, also designed by Foster, caused a snow-related safety hazard due to its thin, gutter-less, carbon fiber roof.

Apple's design flaw in its acclaimed Chicago store creates hazards for shoppers

2017-12-29T15:38:00-05:00

The recently opened Apple store in Chicago has been praised by one of the city’s papers as an “elegantly understated… boon to the city’s riverfront,” but perhaps that perception will change after the discovery of a significant design flaw.The structure’s ultra-thin carbon fiber roof was fashioned in the shape of a MacBook Pro but does not have any gutters to catch water, so melting snow has begun to turn into icicles and sliding snow that can harm pedestrians below.

Outside Apple's recent Chicago store signs read: "CAUTION Watch For Falling Snow and Ice" as noted by blogger Matt Maldre. The new design by Foster and Partners was intended as a “town square” experience for the community, and to serve as a flagship design for all future Apple stores. Unfortunately, this design has a flaw in it's carbon roof warding off Chicago shoppers to steer clear of the building.

The roof's lack of gutters creates a potential hazard as melting snow may fall directly on pedestrians. Matt Maldre comments in his blog, “Maybe next time Apple will consider the actual community where their stores are built [...] Y’know, basic things like in Chicago, the weather gets cold. It snows. The snow falls off the roof. Don’t design a sloping roof where the snow can’t be caught or guttered off somewhere.”

Faculty and students at Texas A&M University are helping after Hurricane Harvey

2017-09-26T14:05:00-04:00

As tens of thousands of Texans undergo a long, difficult recovery from Hurricane Harvey, research findings, and studio and service projects by faculty and students at Texas A&M University are helping individuals and communities learn how to emerge from the damage and how to mitigate the effects of future disasters.

The Texas A&M University is home to the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, studying prevention, response and recovery from natural disasters. Student efforts include gathering post-Harvey water samples and studying their quality, serving meals to the community and building models of rainfall data. Read more about the university news and response to Harvey here.

Student samples post-Harvey water. Image from Arch One.

Washington University in St. Louis to phase out styrene next fall, students express mixed reactions

2016-04-19T13:10:00-04:00

Many current architecture students are excited about the removal of styrene mainly because of the various health hazards...[However,] others are worried that it will negatively impact their work and productivity. Sophomore Sam Landay explained that it’s not uncommon for architecture students to put their projects before their health. Even outspoken opponents of styrene admit the necessity of utilizing the material.

Why cranes keep collapsing, despite "sophisticated equipment"

2016-03-07T14:20:00-05:00

As cranes have grown in height and girth, the controls to operate them have intensified in number and complexity...the crane units in use these days have libraries of intricate manuals, packed with details...some operators may not have time to fully understand or read completely. Same goes for the maintenance team. When something does go wrong with such large machines...the 'mess and carnage' gets magnified.

Crane safety experts give their thoughts on the leading causes of crane collapses, and why safety regulation is more complex than it seems.

Previous news about collapses:

Crane collapses in Manhattan, one dead and two seriously injured

More than 50 dead after crane collapses on Mecca's Grand Mosque

13 lawsuits emerge after deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley

Three killed after partial stadium collapse at 2014 World Cup venue

After massive Dubai skyscraper blaze, experts concerned about towers built before 2012 with 'highly flammable exterior cladding'

2016-01-04T13:58:00-05:00

The companies that made and installed the exterior panels on The Address Downtown Dubai hotel say that most of the towers built in the city prior to 2012 used non-fire-rated exterior cladding. The disclosure comes as investigators probe the causes of the spectacular blaze [...] on New Year’s Eve. An investigation by The National into the origins and specification of the exterior panels used on the building raises serious questions over the fire safety of hundreds of buildings.