Today, the New York City buildings commissioner, Patricia J. Lancaster, announced changes to the Buildings Department’s inspection protocol for tower cranes, the type of crane involved in the accident at 303 East 51st Street on March 15, which killed seven people and injured dozens of others. “Until further notice,” the Buildings Department announced today, a city inspector must be present on a construction site whenever a tower crane is raised or lowered.City Announces Changes to Crane Inspections
Starting today, before giving approval to raise or lower a tower crane, the Buildings Department will require the engineer of record to conduct a full inspection of the crane and certify to the Buildings Department that it is built according to the approved plans and to provide a written protocol for workers to “jump,” or raise, the crane. The written protocol must incorporate the manufacturing guidelines and site-specific details of installation. The department will also require the general contractor to convene a safety meeting that will include the licensed rigger, the crane operator and the jumping crew.
“Until further notice, a buildings inspector must attend these safety coordination meetings to ensure that all safety measures are being taken,” Ms. Lancaster announced.
See Where the Cranes Come Home to Roost
2 comments:
It sounds "nice" Pat.
But isn't the "engineer of record"
submitting a "safety" report
just another form of self certification?
The whole self-cert process
has been the very root of all evils.
It needs to be eliminated.
Nothing less will do.
But, by all means, if you want to keep
Corporation Counsel busy defending NYC
against lawsuits....continue self-cert.
Here's a recommendation to test the integrity of the inspectors and management: Let the inspector approve any particular crane; then the inspector, Lancaster, the contractor and the financier will have to stand underneath the crane during the just approved operation for a minimum of 3 days of operation.
Sort of like "eat what you sell".
Post a Comment