Able Safety Consulting - DOB Announces New Construction Safety Legislation

The New York City Department of Buildings has recently announced five new construction safety bills and updates to NYC’s construction codes. These new bills are meant to help further reduce injuries on construction sites by licensing general contractors who perform construction work, requiring more site safety supervision at larger work sites, creating stronger requirements for cold-formed steel construction, and banning the use of stand-off brackets for suspended scaffold use.

Below is an overview of the 5 new safety bills:

1) Intro. 2278: Licensing General Contractors

Requires all general contractors to be licensed by DOB and to demonstrate their experience, including practical experience working in the construction industry, receive site safety training, and be responsible for the work they perform under their permits.

Allows DOB to take disciplinary action against general contractors, including, if necessary, suspending or revoking a general contractor’s license.

2) Intro. 2263: Requiring DOB-Licensed Safety Professionals on Major Construction Work Sites Between 7 – 9 Stories

Drops the threshold to require full-time DOB-Licensed Site Safety Coordinators (SSCs) or Site Safety Managers (SSMs) to seven stories and above.

Requires contractors to submit Site Safety Plans to DOB for review and approval before work on major projects in the seven to nine story range can commence.

3) Intro 2276: Requiring DOB-Licensed Construction Superintendents on Major Construction Work Sites Seven Stories and Above

DOB-Licensed Construction Superintendents would be required to serve full-time alongside SSCs or SSMs at major construction projects starting at seven stories and above and assume responsibility for site safety and overall management of the construction project.

Limits the number of non-major construction projects for which a Construction Superintendent may be designated, with the goal of having a dedicated Construction Superintendent at non-major construction projects for which they are required by 2026.

4) Intro. 2264: Strengthening Requirements For Cold-Formed Steel Construction

Builds upon a 2019 Buildings Bulletin issued by DOB creating new safety requirements for special inspectors, construction superintendents, design professionals, and permit holders who are performing cold-formed steel light-frame construction work in New York City.

Aimed at preventing the overloading and improper installation of cold-formed steel, which have previously resulted in injuries, fatalities, and property damage at construction sites in New York City.

5) Intro. 2262: Banning Stand-Off Brackets

Builds upon a 2019 Buildings Bulletin issued by DOB, which prohibited the use of stand-off brackets for C-hook suspended scaffold installations, by making that prohibition permanent.

Construction Code Revisions

NYC has proposed 627 new or expanded changes to existing codes, along with thousands of minor changes. For a more in-depth view of the upcoming changes please see the official NYC DOB post below.

Official Press Release

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/buildings/about/pr-cons-safety-bill-and-code-revisions.page