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For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2023
CONTACT: dobcommunications@buildings.nyc.gov,
(212) 393-2126

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WEEK EVENTS KICK OFF
THROUGHOUT THE CITY

Department Launches New Community Inspector Pilot Program and Continues Citywide Building Construction Safety Inspection Sweeps

New York, NY – Today, the Department of Buildings announced the start of Construction Safety Week in New York City, with safety events to be held in all five boroughs that reinforce important site safety messages. From May 1st to May 5th, the Department will visit sites throughout the City with our government and industry partners in a construction safety branded food truck, handing out free food and speaking to contractors and workers to remind them that site safety goes beyond Spring Cleaning, and that Safety Starts With Me, messages the Department is amplifying in new PSA campaigns. Ads appearing on television and in subways inform the construction industry that everyone on the work site has a responsibility to speak up and take action if they identify unsafe conditions. The Department is also announcing the launch of a new pilot program for community-based inspections, as well continuing its citywide safety sweep of all building construction sites – a campaign that started in December in response to tragic construction fatalities.

“New York City is back, and we need to make sure those rebuilding our city have the tools they need — not just to do their work but also to stay safe,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Safety and prosperity for hard-working New Yorkers are top priorities for our administration. Stay vigilant, stay safe, and let’s build a safer, more prosperous New York City together.”

“Construction Safety Week is an important reminder that nothing is more important on the work site than safety,” said Acting Buildings Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik, P.E. “That is why we are holding outreach events all this week and continuing our citywide construction safety sweep until we visit every permitted construction site in the City to deliver the message that promoting safety on the work site is everyone’s responsibility.”

“Falls continue to be a leading killer of construction workers, accounting for hundreds of deaths nationwide every year. These deaths are preventable and education about fall hazards and safeguards is critical for the construction industry. This is why OSHA is working together with partners such as the New York City Department of Buildings to raise awareness about how to protect workers so they can return home safely at the end of each work day,” said Richard Mendelson, OSHA’s Regional Administrator.

In addition to free food, during the five-borough food truck tour of active construction sites the Department and our agency partners will hand out safety literature and discuss fall prevention, the dangers associated with performing construction work while under the influence, mandatory safety training requirements, and the importance of closely following construction safety regulations.

This Construction Safety Week, the Department is also announcing the launch of a new Community Inspector Pilot Program, aimed at better integrating Department staff into the communities that they work in, to more effectively address unique community concerns and improve construction safety. Starting this week, inspectors and community engagement staff assigned to this pilot program will be assigned to monitor construction activity and buildings-related issues in Community Boards 7 and 10 in Brooklyn. These inspectors will conduct educational site visits of all actively permitted construction projects in these specific Community Boards, with a focus on work sites that do not receive regular DOB inspections, such as smaller sites and sites that have not received any recent 311 complaints. During these site visits, Department staff will emphasize the importance of work site safety and complying with building regulations. Department staff taking part in the pilot program will work closely with local elected officials, business improvement districts, community organizations and community board members, conducting site visits together upon request, and attending community outreach events for small businesses and members of the community.

In December of last year, the Department announced the start a citywide education and enforcement campaign, with field visits to all of the City’s approximately 40,000 active construction sites. This campaign was launched in response to a wave of tragic construction deaths that occurred in November and December 2022. During these enforcement site visits, inspectors walk the site to look for unsafe conditions, and speak with site supervisors about common hazards that can be mitigated by following New York City DOB and Federal OSHA safety regulations. The inspectors also remind these safety professionals about their legal responsibilities to ensure the safety of everyone on the work site. As part of this ongoing campaign, the Department has already visited 8,226 work sites across the City. DOB will be continuing this campaign until every work site, regardless of size, has been visited.

Last month, DOB released the 2022 New York City Construction Safety Report, the latest edition of our annual analysis of safety trends across the City. The report provides an overview of building construction data, worker incidents, and Department-issued enforcement actions, as the City continues to make strides in supporting a safety-first culture in the construction industry. The report shows that over the 2022 calendar year, increased citywide construction activity, over the previous two years, has unfortunately correlated with modest increases in worker incidents, injuries, and fatalities. This annual report is an important reminder to everyone in the construction and development industries of the costs associated with ignoring safety regulations.