The New York City Department of Buildings issued 550 violations of COVID-19 safety protocols to construction sites across the city, according to a recent report by Crain’s New York. Data released by the city shows 213 violations found in Brooklyn construction sites, 167 violations found in Manhattan construction sites, 124 violations found in Queens construction sites, 42 violations found in Bronx construction sites, and four violations found in Staten Island construction sites, Inspectors doled out the most citations on their first day of inspections, July 8, issuing a total of 30 on that date, and 29 on July 9.
Department of Buildings inspectors routine examine New York construction sites to ensure compliance with safety protocols. These include the maintenance of a COVID-19 communication plan, the appointment of a staffer with oversight over safety issues, the maintenance of a cleaning log, contact tracing procedures, and elevator signage, as Crain’s explains. Sites provide workers with the means to perform hand hygiene—whether by washing or using hand sanitizer—and construction site workers are also required to wear face masks when they cannot maintain social distancing. Violations of COVID-19 safety protocols can result in construction companies or contractors receiving fines of as much as $5,000. Failure to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols could also lead to the city issuing work stoppages to the sites in noncompliances.
Most building sites only received one violation, according to Crain’s. One construction official, Building Trades Employers Association president Lou Coletti, told the publication that the number of violations reflected “the seriousness that industry and the DOB take in complying with COVID-19 protocols. Building and Construction Trades Council president Gary LaBarbera said similarly, “The health and safety compliance at the city’s construction sites has been extraordinary.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Buildings said in a statement, “We remain committed to ensuring the safety of our fellow New Yorkers and are pleased that the vast majority of construction sites in our city have implemented our new strict health regulations.” For more information on the violations, you can read Crain’s New York’s report here.
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