Many automatically closing doors fail inspection

From NBC:

Nearly four months after the Bronx inferno, the I-Team has discovered more than 22,000 other apartment doors that failed city inspections because they did not automatically close. The violations were issued by inspectors with the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development within the last three years.

About 13,000 of the door violations have been corrected or dismissed, according to city records. But almost 9,000 of the door violations are listed as current hazards that have yet to be fixed.

There are about 300 HPD inspectors citywide, so it is unclear how many malfunctioning fire doors may have evaded detection.

Inspectors faked asbestos reports

From PIX11:

Seventeen city inspectors were arrested for allegedly exposing workers to a construction substance that can be deadly, and all for one motivation — cash.

"It’s about people putting their own financial gain ahead of the well-being and safety of New Yorkers," said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon.

After two years of ground work and undercover sting operations Thursday, the Department of Investigation released their report and 17 certified asbestos inspectors were arrested.

"The going rate is between $250 and $800 per inspect," said Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark Peters. "So if you do what I think one person did, that’s a million dollars."

They worked in Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan buildings, including a hotel. In some cases they conducted no asbestos inspections at all. Other times they concealed that asbestos had been found.

Air pollution inspector arrested for accepting bribe

From DNA Info:

A city air pollution inspector was busted for soliciting a bribe from a Brooklyn construction site after threatening to impose a stop work order, officials said Wednesday.

Sean Richardson-Daniel, 53, was inspecting 222 Pulaski St. on Dec. 4, 2015 when he told an informant he believed was a property representative that he would issue the stop work order unless he received $15,000 in cash, even though there were no active Department of Environmental Protection complaints against the property, according to the Department of Investigation.

FDNY inspector charged with bribery

From the Daily News:

An FDNY inspector was busted Monday for trying to bribe a buildings inspector to look the other way about violations at his home, the Department of Investigation announced.

Angelo Young was arrested and charged with two counts of bribery and one count of obstructing governmental administration after he allegedly offered cash in exchange for ignoring work being done without a permit at his Brooklyn home.

Young, 47, was slapped with a stop work order and a notice of violation for construction work without a permit at the home in Marine Park, a criminal complaint charges.

He called an undercover investigator posing as a Department of Buildings inspector and asked for a meeting - where he said that as an FDNY inspector he “squashes summonses” and requested the same “courtesy,” prosecutors charge.

Then the pair met at a Brooklyn coffee shop where Young offered $300 to scrap the violation, according to the complaint. Five days later, Young arrived for another meeting with a passenger in his car who handed the undercover an envelope that said “Happy Birthday,” with a card and three $100 bills inside.

Contractors pretend to inspect

From the Daily News:

In 2011, 54-year-old Ukrainian laborer Ivan Lendel died and four others were injured when several floors of a 14-unit condo building under construction in Brighton Beach collapsed on them.

The Buildings Department quickly concluded that concrete was poured improperly and the steel structure was unstable. Schneider was hired by the contractor there as a “special inspector” to make sure everything was done safely.

On Friday, the Buildings Department announced it had yanked his license, declaring that he couldn’t demonstrate that he’d performed crucial safety inspections at the site of the fatal collapse and at other jobs citywide.

Schneider, for instance, wasn’t present for the installation and testing of the pile foundation at the site and “never received or reviewed any testing reports for the installation,” the department found.

Schneider also couldn’t document inspections at “numerous sites over the past few years,” officials said.

DOI arrests inspector for filing false report

From PIX11:

A city building engineer was charged with deeming a West End Avenue building façade safe -- where a 2-year-old girl was fatally struck by falling bricks in May 2015.

Officials with the Department of Investigation say Maqsoon Faruqi, 55, of Jackson, N.J., falsely filing a façade inspection report of a West End Avenue apartment when he had actually never visited the building.

The 2-year-old girl, Greta Greene, died after being struck in the head by chunks of brick that fell from the eighth floor of a luxury nursing home -- The Esplanade -- as she sat with her grandmother on a bench outside.

The grandmother, Susan Frierson, 60, suffered leg injuries.

The New York City Department of Buildings immediately hit the owners of The Esplanade with two complaints -- after the incident -- for failing “to maintain the property in a safe and code-compliant manner.”

The owners did file a façade inspection report, as required by law, with the Department of Buildings in 2011. At the time, Faruqi, who conducted the inspection, pronounced the conditions safe.

Faruqi filed his inspection report stating that he directly supervised the inspection and reviewed the proper documents to assess the façade’s structural integrity, writing, “All conditions identified in previous reports as requiring repairs have been corrected.”

The DOI later discovered that Faruqi never visited the site nor had he seen The Esplanade's maintenance records or inspection reports.

Corrupt inspector going to the big house

From the Daily News:

A HEROIN-abusing city housing inspector who took bribes from a Bronx building manager in exchange for clearing infractions was sentenced to 20 months in jail.

Former Department of Housing Preservation and Development inspector Pedro Diaz, 46, told the manager, “You take care of me, and I’ll take care of the violations,” the feds said in February, when Diaz got busted.

Prosecutors said Diaz admitted to buying heroin with the $3,000 he took from the manager, who wore a wire to collect evidence against the crook.

Diaz cleared more than 200 violations, including infractions for lead paint, the feds said.

Feds said the rogue inspector cleared over 200 building violations, including lead-paint infractions.

The inspector, who made about $59,000 a year in his city job, pleaded guilty to mail fraud in June.

Asian Longhorned Beetle appears to be gone from Queens

From the Queens Chronicle:

Although federal officials are not declaring complete victory yet, it looks like those pesky Asian long-horned beetles have been eradicated in Queens.

Joseph Gittleman, regional project manager of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Asian Longhorned Beetle Project, told the Queens Chronicle that the closest infestation was in 2010 in Brooklyn. Because of the lack of the destructive insects, his office is re-evaluating the 10-year quarantine that Queens remains in.

It is illegal to transport wood out of the borough during the quarantine. Fines can run up to $250,000. Queens homeowners can arrange removal of branches and trees through the Sanitation Department by calling 311 and setting up a pickup date.

The wood must be bundled. All tree material must be removed by the city, even if it does not come from one of the susceptible species such as maple or sycamore.

The beetles destroy trees and the federal government fears they will get upstate and damage New York’s hardwood and maple syrup industries.

“We still are inspecting trees in affected neighborhoods,” Gittleman said. “It’s an ongoing process.”

Two inspectors are now working from Douglaston to the Van Wyck Expressway.

Queens small businesses killed by fines

From the Daily News:

Queens has become fertile ground for city inspectors looking to rack up violations against local businesses, according to a new report by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.

Inspections by the Department of Consumer Affairs in Queens more than doubled from 2010 to 2012, de Blasio said.

“They turned these businesses into their own ATM,” de Blasio said at a Monday news conference in Richmond Hill.

Business owners in the borough have recently complained about receiving hundreds of dollars in fines for missing pricetags, failing to post return policies and other minor violations.

De Blasio said his office sued the city to get the statistics. He said inspections by Consumer Affairs have increased more than 40% across the city from 46,635 in fiscal year 2009 to 77,481 in fiscal year 2012.

The spike in violations handed out citywide by the Health Department was even greater, de Blasio said, from 179,677 in fiscal year 2009 to 311,465 in fiscal year 2012.

Seven of the 10 neighborhoods issued the highest number of Health Department violations are in Queens, figures show.

And Queens businesses receive 22% more fines from Consumer Affairs inspectors than those in Manhattan.

Lots of taxis being towed

From the Daily News:

City taxi inspectors seized a record-high 5,776 illegal livery cars last year, more than triple the number confiscated the prior year, authorities said Thursday.

The record could be smashed again this year because inspectors already hauled 849 vehicles off the road in January — up from 276 the prior January.

Nearly all of the busts are gypsy drivers, who poach riders from licensed livery services and yellow cabs.

TLC-authorized livery drivers must take a defensive driving course, get drug tested and clear a criminal background check. The TLC also sets minimum insurance levels for any accidents involving passenger injuries and inspects livery cars for defects.

Gypsy drivers bypass all those requirements.

Inspectors confiscated 1,737 cars in 2011. The increase in 2012 is partly due to the TLC’s hiring of 100 additional inspectors last year.

A new class of recruits hit the streets last month and another group just began training.

The beetle patrol is back

The Woodhaven Residents' Block Association would like to inform residents that state and federal agencies have sent inspectors to Woodhaven to conduct searches for the Asian long-horned beetle.

The beetle is an invasive species that devastates trees. Official inspectors are going door-to-door, requesting access to the area around residences -- especially backyards -- to determine whether nearby vegetation is harboring any Asian long-horned beetles. Unfortunately, many residents have been unaware that the these surveys are taking place, leading them to be understandably suspicious of individuals seeking access to their property.

"These inspectors are doing important work to protect trees in Woodhaven and across Queens," said WRBA President Edward K. Wendell. "If someone claims they're from an official agency and asks for access to your property, request to see their identification and make sure they are dressed appropriately."

There are two kinds of inspectors conducting the surveys: state and federal, the latter being from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). New York State inspectors do not have a uniform but should always be wearing an official orange vest with lettering. Federal inspectors should be dressed in either green pants or blue jeans, and should have on a black coat with USDA lettering. In all cases, inspectors have official badges and/or official IDs and will produce them on request.

If, however, someone claiming to be an inspector does not produce identification, is not dressed properly, or does not properly identify themselves, do not grant them access to your property. Residents who feel uncomfortable or suspicious should call the police.

The WRBA has received calls from residents who were concerned about purported inspectors. Some of this confusion arose from those personnel identifying themselves incorrectly or not wearing the proper attire.

The WRBA has spoken with an inspection field manager and has expressed concern about some of the reports we have received. The Block Association hopes that the USDA takes steps to make sure that their inspectors properly identify themselves. The WRBA also hopes that improved openness and communication with residents will help inspectors keep Woodhaven free of this destructive pest.

If they experience any problems with inspectors, residents should feel free to notify the WRBA at info@woodhaven-nyc.org or (718) 296-3735.

Residents who suspect an Asian long-horned beetle infestation should collect an adult beetle in a jar, place the jar in a freezer, and immediately notify the USDA by calling (866) 265-0301.

How the Grinch tried to steal Thanksgiving

From the Daily News:

Bobby Eustace, a firefighter out of Ladder 27 in the Bronx, has been serving free hot food to the homeless and displaced and to relief workers and volunteers in Breezy Point, Queens, since two days after the hurricane hit.

On Sunday, Eustace and dozens of fellow firefighter volunteers served 800 free hot meals from a steamy Army tent in this hemorrhaging beach community, where there are no longer stores or restaurants, where most people have no gas to cook with, no heat or hot water and no hot food.

That afternoon, a freon-blooded inspector from the city’s Department of Health issued Eustace a notice of violation for not meeting the same food-handling standards as, say, the Four Seasons.

This is beyond outrageous.

This is Emperor Bloomberg’s bureaucracy gone completely mad in a time of death and destruction in the week of Thanksgiving and when the decent people of this city have united to help the unfortunate.

This is what the city of New York did for the relief effort of Sandy victims.

This notice of violation is a violation of human decency.

Mayor Bloomberg should bury his head in shame in the sands of Breezy Point.

Same inspector worked on previous crane collapse

From Fox 5:

The inspector that gave his OK on the crane that collapsed this week apparently checked the crane that collapsed in 2008, killing two people.

Buildings Department inspector Patrick McGarrigle only did a partial inspection of the crane that collapsed on April 3 at the 7 train construction site, which killed one worker.

According to the New York Post, McGarrigle was also the last worker to look at the Upper East Side tower crane that fell in 2008.

McGarrigle joined the NYC Department of Buildings in 2004.

Fire inspector took bribes

From the NY Times:

A longtime New York Fire Department employee who supervised safety inspections of day care centers pleaded guilty on Friday to accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from operators who took part in a program that subsidizes day care costs for low-income parents.

The employee, Carlos Montoya, 54, entered his plea in Federal District Court in Manhattan less than a month after his arrest in a continuing investigation of what the authorities have said was a $1 million fraud and bribery scheme involving corrupt city employees and day care operators.

Mr. Montoya, who was responsible for certifying that day care centers complied with fire safety standards, admitted in court that he took money in exchange for creating fraudulent temporary certificates of occupancy for the centers.

When the judge, Paul G. Gardephe, asked whether he had accepted the payments with the intent of being “influenced or rewarded” with respect to his official duties, Mr. Montoya responded, “Yes.”

A federal prosecutor, Harris Fischman, told the judge that fraud amounting to tens of thousands of dollars could be directly attributed to Mr. Montoya’s part in the scheme.

FDNY inspector arrested for accepting bribes

From the NY Post:

A high-ranking FDNY safety inspector ignored safety violations at buildings housing day-care centers in exchange for bribes, the feds said yesterday.

Carlos Montoya — who formerly oversaw inspections of all city day-care centers — was arrested yesterday for the alleged misconduct, which included repeatedly certifying use of a Brooklyn warehouse for the temporary care of infants and children younger than 2.

He allegedly got at least $12,000 in payments from the center’s owner, who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and is cooperating with the feds.

But Montoya, 54, failed to fully cover his tracks, and issued the bogus certificates with “basic errors that one would not expect to see,” such as misspelling the word “nursery,” court papers charge.

Montoya — who was bounced from his post after the city Department of Investigation uncovered the scam — also allegedly got paid $250 a pop to sign off on safety inspections at another center.

History of elevator problems at 285 Madison Ave

From the Daily News:

The elevators at 285 Madison Ave. have a history of defects, “unsatisfactory” inspections and hazardous code violations, but officials Wednesday insisted recent issues involved minor matters unrelated to safety.

City Buildings Department records show the 13 elevators in the building - owned and managed by Young & Rubicam - have been hit with 56 violations since 1999, including 34 for “failure to maintain elevators.”

In 1995, the city cited the owner for 11 “hazardous” violations, all related to maintenance issues. Citations dropped off but picked up again in 2000, followed by several more in 2001 and 2003.

In one 2003 inspection, officials noted a complaint about “a grinding noise” in an elevator.

All of the maintenance violations were listed as “corrected.”

Then last December all the elevators received an “unsatisfactory” rating after a review by a private inspection company. All elevators must be inspected four times every two years.

Some of the elevators deemed “unsatisfactory” were listed as “corrected,” but the one in which the accident occurred was not.

In June, inspectors discovered “defects” in all the elevators in the building during a routine inspection, records show.

On Wednesday Buildings Department spokesman Tony Sclafani dubbed all the issues raised in both recent inspections as nonsafety related, describing the problems as “paperwork related.”

He noted that the elevator in question was ordered shut down and an investigation is underway.

When an A isn't an A, continued

From AM-NY:

When it comes to restaurant grades, not all A’s are created equal.

Dozens of eateries had all of their health inspection violations tossed because of botched paperwork, automatically giving them an A and saving them thousands in fines, according to an amNewYork analysis of health tribunal hearings between July 2010, when the letter grading system began, and September 2011.

Kevin O’Donoghue, a partner at restaurant law firm Helbraun and Levey, said 90% of the cases he’d seen dismissed were due to an inspector error, like writing the restaurant’s name or address incorrectly.

“The judges will often just say, ‘There’s too much here and I can’t be sure this is the right,’“ said O’Donoghue, who has fought more than 100 inspections and has had a few totally dismissed. “A full dismissal is mostly going to come on the basis of there not being sufficient evidence to sustain the charges.”

Because it takes inspectors months to check all of Gotham’s eateries, more than a third of the restaurants that had their violations dismissed haven’t been re-inspected, leaving them with an A in their windows.

When an A isn't really an A

From AM-NY:

Restaurateurs that take the extra step of contesting their health violations usually come out as winners.

Nearly three-quarters of eatery owners that fought their poor grade have ended up having sanitary infractions tossed, and many have had their C’s and B’s turn into A’s, according to an amNewYork analysis of city health department statistics.

The data, which run from July 2010, when the city began linking sanitary violations to letter grades, through Sept. 13, 2011, show that:

— Of the 12,503 hearings held for restaurants with B and C grades, 41 percent of restaurants were able to get enough violation points knocked off to raise their grade by at least one letter.

— A total of 261 of eateries with an original C grade improved to an A.

— Only two restaurants had their number of violations increased.

Koo asks Thompson to secure RKO Keith's

From the Times Ledger:

Jerry Rotondi, president of the Committee to Save the RKO Keith’s Theatre, a group that advocates for preservation of the beloved theater, has raised concerns that the building at 137-25 Northern Blvd. is not fully secured.

Rotondi said two acquaintances told him they saw youths throwing bottles from the theater’s roof at about 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6 and he worries that such intruders could start a fire at the aging building or damage its crumbling landmarked lobby.

“I went to the theater after the kids were seen throwing bottles from the roof, and if you go around to the back of the building, there’s an opening you could get into. So we’re requesting an immediate inspection of the property by the Landmarks Preservation Commission to ensure the building is properly secured,” Rotondi said Monday. “The building should be sealed.”

Rotondi sent a letter Aug. 7 to Mark Silberman, an attorney for the city Landmarks Commission, requesting such an inspection and forwarded it to local leaders.

An inspection has yet to take place, according to Rotondi, and Thompson contends that there is no need for one to be undertaken.

“The building is totally secured,” Thompson said Tuesday morning. “There’s no story here.”

But a quick walk around the theater Monday night indicated otherwise as a door frame sat open and unhindered behind a fence atop a structure attached to the back of the main building. Two below-ground-level openings were visible from a parking lot behind the theater, suggesting that a crafty person could gain entrance to the structure.

Koo and his chief of staff, James McClelland, took a walk around the building Tuesday morning and saw the openings, prompting Koo to contact Thompson.

“The councilman and I visited the site today, and upon seeing three access points demanded that the developer immediately secure the area,” McClelland said.

Government buildings exempt from city codes?

From DNA Info:

Politicians are renewing their call for stricter building and fire codes in the wake of the recent acquittals in the Deutsche Bank fire cases.

Borough President Scott Stringer and State Sen. Daniel Squadron say more than 800 buildings in New York — including the former Deutsche Bank building, which was razed — are exempt from city safety codes because they are owned by the state or federal government.

Those buildings, which include the United Nations and Lower Manhattan's federal courthouses, do not have to allow building and fire safety inspectors inside, nor are they subject to penalties for safety violations, Stringer said.

"It's time we extend basic code protections for all New Yorkers to all of our buildings — so these tragedies become a thing of the past," Stringer said.

State Sen. Daniel Squadron sponsored legislation last year that created a state-city panel to address the loophole. Squadron expects the panel to begin meeting later this year and issue recommendations that would go to the legislature for approval next spring.