The National Weather Service forecasts high winds up to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for the New York City area tonight through noon on Thursday. In preparation for the windy weather, the Buildings Department is reminding all builders, contractors, and property owners to secure their construction sites and buildings. The Buildings Department will be performing random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the city. If construction sites are not safely secured in preparation for the inclement weather, the Department will take immediate enforcement action with the issuance of violations and Stop Work Orders if necessary.

There are several important changes that are now in effect. Many of these changes are designed to enhance construction site safety and may affect how you do business with the Department.

Over the past year, the Buildings Department reached many significant milestones. Robert LiMandri was appointed to serve as Commissioner, the new NYC Construction Codes were implemented, the Special Enforcement Plan was expanded, and the Department's analysis of high-risk construction operations was launched.

Our Buildings Information System (BIS) now allows multiple applicants working under the same contractor to file a PW2 form with a single tracking number. All other information on the PW2 (business name, address, etc.) must match what is on file with the Licensing unit.

On December 16, Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri hosted a conference with 10 major crane manufacturers on the safety and maintenance of tower and mobile cranes. At the Department's Manhattan headquarters, manufacturers from Germany, Japan, Malaysia and the United States discussed ways to improve crane safety, implement new technologies to track cranes across jurisdictional borders and develop maintenance and repair records for the life of the equipment. Participants also identified ways to standardize regulations, including critical procedures involving inspections, maintenance and recertification after major repairs.

On November 25, 2008, Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri announced a new program that outlines Department policies for rescinding Stop Work Orders. This program is designed to streamline communication between the Department and the construction industry and better ensure construction sites are maintained in a safe manner. As part of this program, a DOB Stop Work Order Coordinator will serve as the point of contact for a job site's project executive and help provide industry members with the requirements to lift the Stop Work Order. This program, which becomes effective December 15, 2008, applies to all buildings under construction and demolition participating in the Department's Site Safety Program that receive full Stop Work Orders.

Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri announced strict new criteria for individuals seeking licenses to operate Class C hoist machines, commonly referred to as mobile cranes. New York City is one of only 19 jurisdictions nationwide that restricts the operation of cranes to licensed individuals. To learn more about NCCCO Certification or to register for an exam, visit www.nccco.org.

Recent legislation increased the penalty for violating a Stop Work Order. The first violation of a Stop Work Order carries a fine of $5,000 and any violation thereafter carries a fine of $10,000. No Stop Work Order will be rescinded until these penalties have been paid.

On October 31, Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri announced an executive staff reorganization designed to further standardize the Department's operations across the five boroughs. The reorganization, which will take effect next month, will shift experienced professionals into new leadership roles to ensure builders, developers and property owners follow construction safety standards and help better protect millions of New Yorkers.

All one-, two- and three-family home general contractors, including contractors who already have a tracking number, must register with the Licensing Unit to obtain a new building permit. Unregistered individuals or entities found building one-, two- or three-family homes after the registration deadline will be subject to violations, Stop Work Orders, criminal charges and the seizure of vehicles and construction tools. For more information:

On October 16, Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri hosted an international conference on crane safety with more than 50 construction and public safety experts from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to discuss crane safety protocols around the world. Among the participants who attended the landmark meeting were representatives from major cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Toronto, and London, as well as state jurisdictions such as Connecticut and Massachusetts.

On October 8, 2008, Mayor Bloomberg swore-in Robert LiMandri as Commissioner of the Department of Buildings. LiMandri, who has more than 19 years of engineering, real estate and construction management experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, has served as Acting Commissioner since April 2008 and has been part of the Department of Buildings’ senior management  since 2002.

On September 22, Mayor Bloomberg signed three new pieces of legislation  into law that improve the safety of crane operations throughout New York City. Intro 794-A requires at least 30 hours of Department-approved training and an eight-hour refresher course every three years for all workers involved in the erection, jumping, climbing, rigging or dismantling of a climber or a tower crane. Intro 796-A requires rigging and jumping plans to be submitted to the Buildings Department prior to the erecting, jumping, climbing, rigging or dismantling of a tower or climber crane. Intro 795-A  prohibits the use of nylon slings unless the manufacturer’s manual specifically states or recommends their use and softening mechanisms have been applied to all sharp edges. This legislation is part of a larger construction safety plan announced by Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council, the Buildings Department and industry leaders and builds upon a $4 million investment  by the City to conduct an in-depth assessment of high-risk construction activities.

The 2008 Building Code, effective July 1, 2008, requires contractors to maintain safe conditions at building sites and provides that construction operations affecting fire prevention comply with the New York City Fire Code. (See Building Code sections 3301.1.2 and 3303.7.) As per section 1404.1 of the new Fire Code, effective July 1, 2008, smoking on any construction (including demolition) site is strictly prohibited.

On August 12, Mayor Bloomberg signed into law three new pieces of legislation that will increase the safety of existing buildings and structures and will enhance safety on the jobsite. Intro 687-A requires structurally compromised buildings to undergo periodic inspections. Intro 763-A re-classifies certain housekeeping violations, such as failure to secure loose materials, as hazardous, making them subject to higher penalties. Intro 793-A mandates a five-year inspection cycle for retaining walls ten feet or higher that front public streets. These three bills are part of the Department's aggressive legislative agenda announced in June to enhance construction safety. To learn more about these bills, view the Mayor's Office press release.

On July 16, Mayor Bloomberg along with the Buildings, Fire and Environmental Protection Departments announced a series of changes in the way demolition and abatement operations are regulated and carried out in New York City. Outlined in the report (1,145 pdf) Strengthening the Safety, Oversight and Coordination of Construction, Demolition and Abatement Operations, these changes strengthen inspection practices, increase notifications and enhance data-sharing between agencies to improve the safety of abatement and demolition operations.

To ensure contractors protect their workers with reliable safety-harness systems to prevent falls, the Buildings Department is now mandating additional safety protocols for concrete-embedded Fall Arresting Systems. These new protocols are required for all new and existing concrete-embedded Fall Arresting Systems and are effective immediately. These new mandates are in addition to all existing requirements from the manufacturer, the NYC Building Code and all other applicable laws and regulations.

On Sunday, May 18, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Acting Buildings Commissioner Robert D. LiMandri announced that $5.3 million has been added to the Buildings Department budget to fund 63 new positions dedicated to enhancing oversight and enforcing construction safety requirements. Of these new positions, 56 will be implementing Phase III of the Department's Special Enforcement Plan. The funding adds seven positions to enable the Department to implement Local Law 36 (60 kb-pdf), which requires general contractors building one-, two- and three-family homes to register with the Department. The additional resources are part of the Mayor's FY 2009 Executive Budget.
Read the Mayor's Office Press Release
General Contractors Registration

Effective immediately, this Buildings Department Regulatory Notice supersedes the March 25, 2008 Regulatory Notice for erecting and dismantling (including jumping) all tower cranes in New York City. The revised protocols incorporate recommendations obtained during the Department’s recent survey of the erection and dismantling (including jumping) procedures for tower cranes. Following the review of industry practices of jumps performed from March 25 – May 16, 2008, where Department Inspectors were required to witness, for the first time, every single crane jump, the Department will witness jumps and verify meetings on an audit basis. Rather than scheduling Inspectors to witness all crane jumps, the Department will deploy Inspectors to conduct random, unannounced site visits to verify that required safety precautions and requirements are followed. Unsafe conditions will result in immediate Stop Work Orders and violations. Failure to comply with Stop Work Orders may result in fines up to $10,000.

Homeowners are invited to the borough offices every week to meet with Buildings staff. Experts are available to provide homeowners with one-on-one assistance, answer questions and provide project guidance. Homeowner's Night is held every Tuesday from 4:00pm - 5:30pm at each borough office.