Press Release - Buildings

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

DOB ANNOUNCES DEADLINE CHANGES FOR
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

NEW YORK - Today the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) announced that it has extended the deadline by which many of the city’s construction workers will need to have at least 30 hours of safety training, and by which construction supervisors will need 62 hours of training. This requirement was set to kick in on December 1, 2018; workers will now have until June 1, 2019 to complete this training. These workers are already required to have a minimum of 10 hours of safety training and the 10-hour requirement remains unchanged. In addition, DOB will extend the law’s final deadline, by which workers will need 40 hours of training, from May 1, 2019 to September 1, 2020.

"In consultation with stakeholders in the construction industry, including the Site Safety Training Task Force, we are extending these deadlines to give city construction workers more time to get the training they need to stay safe on the job. Once the new June 2019 deadline kicks in, workers will be able to satisfy Local Law 196 requirements until late 2020 simply by completing an OSHA 30 training course," said Buildings Commissioner Rick D. Chandler, PE.

Local Law 196, which took effect earlier this year, states that DOB can extend the training deadlines if the agency determines that there is insufficient capacity among training providers to accommodate the city’s construction workers. Prior to reaching this decision, DOB consulted the Site Safety Training Task Force composed of experts from organized labor and the construction industry. The Task Force agreed that the deadline change is necessary.

"The BTEA has been working side-by-side with the Department of Buildings since the passage of the bill to enhance clarity, and compliance, around the law. These changes will help us create a safer, better trained workforce" said Lou Coletti, BTEA President and CEO. "There are no shortcuts when it comes to safety and the BTEA will continue leading the industry forward."

"The decision by Commissioner Chandler and his team to extend the training deadline is prudent and in the best interest of the workers and welcomed by the industry," said Brian Sampson, President of the Empire Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors. "The original December deadline would have posed a major challenge for legitimate contractors, regardless of if they are open shop or union, who were trying to utilize qualified, competent and approved DOB providers. Further, it was also creating issues for people trying to obtain the required training to improve their ability to get into our industry. We look forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Chandler and the Department to ensure that all contractors and their workers have access to safe, affordable classes run by well trained and certified instructors."

The safety-training requirements mandated by Local Law 196 apply to workers at all sites for which DOB requires construction superintendents, site-safety coordinators, or site-safety managers.

Workers can satisfy the 30-hour training requirement in a variety of ways, including taking a 30-hour safety course approved by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a 10-hour OSHA course plus 20 hours of training on fall prevention and other critical safety precautions, or by participating in a DOB-approved 100-hour training program of the kind typically completed by union apprentices. Details on the types of training required can be found in a recent DOB bulletin to industry stakeholders.

Safety-training course providers must be approved by DOB. Information on becoming a DOB-approved course provider can be found on the department’s website. This summer, the Department issued guidelines that DOB-approved course providers can use to build their curricula for approval.

In addition, as part of Local Law 196, the City’s Department of Small Business Services is developing a program to provide greater access to construction jobs through safety training and to fulfill Mayor Bill de Blasio’s commitment to train the employees of small businesses and day laborers. If you are new to construction, work in construction without a permanent employer, or own a small construction business, you may be eligible for free training. For more information, please visit https://on.nyc.gov/sitesafetytraining.

For more information regarding the requirements set forth in Local Law 196, please visit our website. Questions regarding these training requirements can be sent to the Department by emailing LocalLaw196@buildings.nyc.gov. Training firms who would like information on becoming a Department approved course provider or who have questions about the course requirements should email TrainingProviders@buildings.nyc.gov.