Press Release - Buildings

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For Immediate Release:
May 7, 2018
CONTACT: dobcommunications@buildings.nyc.gov,
(212) 393-2126

DOB KICKS OFF CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WEEK

Department to Hold Events for Annual Citywide Construction Safety Awareness Campaign

New York, NY – Today, the Department of Buildings kicked off the agency’s annual Construction Safety Week, which features a series of events held throughout the five boroughs to raise awareness about the critical importance of construction safety in New York City.

As the city continues to experience unprecedented levels of construction, with record numbers of permits issued and workers employed in the building trades, emphasizing the importance of construction safety is more critical than ever. The purpose of Construction Safety Week is to reinforce DOB’s core mission of promoting the safety of all people who build, work, and live in New York City by overseeing the lawful use of nearly 1.1 million buildings and enforcing safety regulations at construction sites across the five boroughs.

“Every construction worker who leaves for the job site in the morning deserves to get home safe at night. That’s why safety has to be the highest priority at every one of the city’s 45,000 active construction sites,” said Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler. “Construction Safety Week allows us the opportunity to amplify the work we do each and every day, and reinforce the importance of employing the best safety practices to protect workers and the public. There are inherent risks in construction work, but the majority of accidents are completely preventable – which is why we must continue to work together to build a culture of safety across the industry.”

For Construction Safety Week, DOB staff will fan out across the five boroughs to raise awareness about new construction safety regulations signed into law by Mayor de Blasio in 2017. These measures include increased penalties for construction-related violations and new construction-safety training requirements under Local Law 196 of 2017, which now currently requires construction workers at most sites to receive at least 10 hours of OSHA-approved construction site safety training. DOB has been moving quickly to implement the new rules, which when fully phased in will require workers at job sites that require a Site Safety Plan to receive a minimum of 40 hours of training, and educate workers and contractors about the requirements. DOB representatives will provide information about OSHA training in English and Spanish.

DOB will also be continuing its Experience is Not Enough campaign by distributing multi-lingual educational materials (available in English, Spanish, and Chinese) that offer workers simple steps they can take to stay safe on job sites, emphasizing the importance of safe construction practices. Since the campaign’s launch in 2011, tens of thousands of posters, banners, and bracelets have been distributed to construction sites throughout the city. In addition, DOB staff will be working with our partners at OSHA for their annual Stand Down for Safety events, which informs workers about ways to prevent construction-related falls, primarily through the use of harnesses and tie-lines when working above ground level.

Another highlight of Construction Safety Week will be presentations by DOB staff at public schools in all five boroughs as part of the Department’s Junior Architects and Engineers program, which aims to generate interest in STEM subjects, and educate students about careers in construction, architecture, and engineering.

Lastly, the Department will also be hosting the 2018 Build Safe | Live Safe Conference -- a daylong event attended by more than 350 construction professionals and government regulators. Industry members at the conference will attend a series of seminars on subjects related to accident trends, new regulations, and updates to DOB policies, as well as best practices for improving safety. The annual conference, now in its 14th year, is a critical link between the Department and members of NYC’s real estate and construction industries, with a focus on improving safety in the building and construction trades. Seminar topics to be presented at this year’s conference, and will be posted online after the event, include:

Construction Safety: Year in Review and Recent & Upcoming Changes

Site Safety Plan Requirements of the NYC Building Code and Local Law 81 of 2017

Structural Stability in the NYC Building Code

NYC Gas Work: Safety & Legislation

Excavation, Interior Demolition & Scaffold Safety - Code Requirements & Construction Implementation

Classifying NYC's Housing Stock - Clarifying a Difficult Issue

Cranes, Hoists and Elevators - Digital Compliance

Safety Considerations for Renewable Energy Systems

Learning from Damage Assessment Post Hurricane Maria

Please contact the DOB press office for more information about Construction Safety Week events.