DOB Announces Construction Site Sweep for Safety Violations

DOB Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca announced on June 1 that teams of DOB enforcement inspectors are mobilizing across the five boroughs to perform safety sweeps of construction sites, to ensure that they are safe for both workers and the public.

While performing these zero tolerance sweeps, DOB inspectors will issue enforcement actions if they observe any safety violations and will shut down sites if they find serious safety lapses. This safety enforcement sweep was triggered by accidents involving three construction workers who lost their lives in separate work-related incidents in the last two weeks of May. Two of these fatal incidents were the result of worker falls. These three incidents are still under investigation by the Department.

During this sweep, DOB inspectors will be conducting site visits at thousands of construction work sites in neighborhoods across the city. Contractors who are found to be putting their workers at risk by flouting safety regulations could face penalties of up to $25,000 for each construction safety violation. At each work site, DOB will specifically be:

• Ensuring that permitted construction projects are in full compliance with their required site safety plans.
• Confirming that contractors and safety professionals are closely adhering to NYC’s robust construction safety regulations.
• Checking that workers on site are properly using safety harnesses and fall arrest systems where required.
• Distributing "Worker Alert" safety information on how to prevent worker falls and sending direct mailers to all permit holders performing roof work.