Revised Fire Code Geared Toward Building Sites
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
The city’s fire code is being overhauled with an eye toward preventing accidents at construction sites. The City Council passed legislation yesterday adopting a new 645-page code which requires that construction sites have a fire safety program in place and are monitored by a fire safety manager.
Last year, two firefighters were killed in a blaze at the vacant Deutsche Bank building, drawing attention to the city’s fire safety standards.
In a statement, Mayor Bloomberg praised the Council’s vote, saying the new code “will make this city safer for both New Yorkers and the firefighters that protect us.”
In another move aimed at improving safety at construction sites, the city’s Department of Buildings released revised protocols for erecting and operating cranes. In March, a crane collapsed on East 51st Street, destroying a townhouse and killing seven people. Investigations into the accident have suggested that nylon straps holding the crane in place broke and the new safety protocol requires that measures be taken to soften any sharp edges that might cut nylon attachments.
