CONSTRUCTION CRACKDOWN

By SALLY GOLDENBERG, NY Post

June 13, 2008 -- In the wake of two fatal crane accidents and the abrupt departure of city Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster, the city is requiring that details of all construction-related injuries and deaths be posted on the Department of Buildings' Web site.

And under a separate measure, the agency will have to alert the state to all disciplinary action taken against architects and engineers.

Each measure was unanimously passed by the City Council yesterday with the support of Mayor Bloomberg, who is seeking to quell a storm of criticism over a dramatic spike in construction-site deaths - 16 so far this year, compared to 12 in all of 2007.

"We're taking an important step forward today to improve reporting within the Department of Buildings, to improve information that the public has about the Department of Buildings, and to crack down on folks who act inappropriately and potentially misuse licenses that are granted by the state," said Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan).

The bill, which would take effect within four months, would mandate the Web posting of the number of fatalities, injuries and accidents at every construction site, the type of work under way at those locations and the violations issued.