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 supervision and greater accountability.”

As reported by Construction Dive, fall-related deaths and injuries are of particular concern in New York City, in which construction falls on construction sites have led to 37 fatalities and 1,029 injuries since 2015. City inspectors have, thus, checked to ensure that safety harnesses, controlled access zones, guardrails, and other fall prevention systems were present at work sites, according to DOB press secretary Andrew Rudansky. 

Some violations uncovered by city inspectors throughout the campaign include failures to have the required site safety personnel on location, keep construction plans on site, and provide workers with pre-shift safety meetings. In addition, they discovered contractors with expired registration and insurance, along with construction work performed against approved plans. 

Along with the “zero tolerance” campaign, the DOB has enacted other measures to increase safety at construction sites. They’ve increased penalties for violations, hired additional inspectors, implemented a new safety training program for the construction workforce, and are ramping up their routine unannounced site safety inspections of larger construction sites across the city. To top it off, the DOB is pushing to enact proposed construction safety legislation. 

Earlier this year, the department announced that five new construction safety bills were introduced for consideration in the New York City Council. If adopted, the bills would create a new licensing requirement for general contractors, who currently don’t need proof of relevant experience to receive a license. The bills would require more site safety supervision at larger worksites, strengthen requirements for cold-formed steel construction, and permanently ban the dangerous use of stand-off brackets for suspended scaffold work. 

“I applaud the Department of Buildings for making safety their top priority,” said Council Member Margaret Chin. “This package of five forward-thinking pieces of legislation is crucial to protecting workers and eliminating construction site fatalities. I am proud to co-sponsor these bills, which will provide additional oversight and allow the agency to impose stricter disciplinary action should a contractor fail to comply with safety regulations.”