Mayor Proposes Fines for Construction Safety Lapses
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In response to the recent dramatic increase in the number of deaths on construction sites, the city is proposing to stiffen fines for contractors who violate safety regulations.
The proposal is one in a series of initiatives Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday to improve safety conditions for those who work on the so-called suspended scaffolding that dots construction sites all over the city.
In November, a 25-year-old whose safety harness was not properly fastened to the scaffolding he was working on died after falling from a building near Union Square.
The mayor, whose recommendations stem from a task force he convened after that death to study the issue, has also allocated $6 million to ensure that builders are complying with new suspended scaffolding laws he is proposing, and that construction workers have access to training.
“I know a lot of people will say, ‘Oh, more regulation,'” Mr. Bloomberg said. “But there were 29 people that died last year, and it is appropriate when you can really saves lives even though it’s costly and it’s annoying.”
Mr. Bloomberg said the 29 construction site deaths in 2006 represented a 40% increase over the year before. There were also 20 accidents involving suspended scaffolding in 2006 compared to 11 in 2005. Some of the accidents are a product of the city’s building boom, but advocates said safety violations on sites are sometimes blatant.
The mayor is proposing legislation in the City Council to nearly triple fines for violations, to require that contractors notify the city when using a device known as a C-hook to hold up scaffolding, and to mandate that a trained supervisor inspect the site and record findings in a daily log.
First offense fines would increase to either $1,500 or $1,250 from $500, depending on the violation. Fines for multiple violations would start at $2,500 instead of $1,250 and cap out $15,000 instead of the $10,000 on the books now.
The city is using $4 million of the earmark to create a special Scaffolding Safety Unit with 10 new inspectors at the Department of Buildings. Yesterday, it began airing public service announcements on a Spanish-language radio station to talk about workplace safety.
