City Ordinances Aimed at Construction Faults

New legislation is aimed at lowering the danger around construction sites, but what is the cost?

By Suzanne Rachman

It's a sad state of affairs, really. Before the recent spate of construction site accidents, New Yorkers never really thought about what was going on above their heads. Construction sites are dangerous places, and it's difficult to keep people safe who are working the site. It's even more difficult to ensure the safety of someone 800 feet below you, who may or may not even know that there is construction going on in the sky above their heads.

How many people do you see walking down the street during the day, talking on their cellphones, looking at the sidewalk in front of them to make sure that they aren't going to step in a puddle, or a panhandler for that matter? The fact is that New Yorkers are blissfully unaware, more often than not, about the world directly in front of them.

Because of the recent construction site accidents, and the worry about building inspectors who may or may not be in the pocket of certain developers, there are a number of new bills that have been passed recently to protect the public. The first of these allows building inspectors to issue violation orders for maintenance violations. The second bill requires inspections of buildings damaged by wind, rain, fire, or other outside forces. The final bill mandates structural inspections every five years.

While it remains unclear as to where the city will get the money for the new inspections and other orders, the city government is trying any measure it can think of to keep the public safe. But, as I'm sure you know, there is no substitute for actually paying attention to what you're doing.