Eight people have died in construction-related accidents this year, according to the city’s Buildings Department, as many as in all of 2014; the year before, three died. Not since 2008, during the height of the last building boom, has the number of construction accidents been so high, when a rash of episodes, including two falling cranes, claimed 19 lives.
The number of accidents has also been on the rise, with 231 in 2014, up 24 percent from the year before. (Accident figures for 2015 were unavailable.)
Most in the industry agree that there is a simple equation at work: The more construction, the more danger.
8 comments:
It's no wonder. On a daily basis the DOB screws up. When are they going to get the right to demand to enter the unsafe sites that the owners/developers/general contractors, contractors, and others that keep that locked out of the construction site.
Two tries and then they "XX" the matter with an ADMINISTRATIVE closure. That is unbelievable. And, where are our politicians and legislators that do NOTHING about the situation.
DOB NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. The list of disciplined individuals has to be JUST a drop in the bucket compared to how many should lose their licenses.
The public has to take a stand on this important and other important issues.
The real issue is the increase in non-union labor. Unions keep people safe. Pure and simple.
Another issue is the rapidity all this development and destruction has taken place.
Non-union labor is certainly contributing - plus, the contractors treat undocumented workers as expendable slave labor (working them 10+ hours a day, without safeguards, eg). Another factor: under DoB Commissioner LiMandri, common practice (supported by Bloomberg) was playing the numbers to come up with good statistics. For example, if a worker died on the way to the hospital, it wasn't a workplace fatality.
No shit, Sherlock.
These days I make it my business to avoid any high rise construction site, especially if I see a crane in use.
Not to mention all of the illegals who are still working off the books at many of these sites.
Yes, the illegals are a big part of the problem.
Take a look at the latest post on the DOB website with respect to Disciplinary List. Does not even come close to disciplining all the wrongdoers. Part of the reason is that by the time the DOB and DOI gets around to disciplining or possibly prosecuting some of the wrongdoers their statute of limitations has run out.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/safety/iad.shtml
Part of the problem, as well, are the NYC DOB licensed professionals like plumbers; electricians and general contractors that pull the permits many times falsifying documents, knowing full well that they are actually not going to do the work. They are just getting paid to, in the end, self-certify and sign-off on the job. Happens everyday.
Then you have the NYS Licensed professionals such as: Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, etc. that falsify documents; abusing the building code and zoning regulations and the laws. It may sound unbelievable but some have been known to not have even visited the site to plan it out or examine the lot. Just try to get them sanctioned by the State. Another lost cause. They put their licenses on the line and their insurance up for supposedly a handsome sum. They self-certify jobs done by unlicensed individuals as well as others. Moonlighters in many instances do the actual work. These individuals sneak in and out of the residential construction sites on a daily basis throughout the boroughs and they are paid cash.
Maybe they should stop building.
Post a Comment