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Senate Passes Construction Safety Legislation

The NYC Department of Buildings now has to re-inspect construction sites that have been issued hazardous violations after the Senate in New York State passed a bill recently about this new law. The recently introduced and passed legislation allows the Department of Buildings to issue fines if these hazardous problems are not fixed. The fines can range anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 at a time. The legislation was created in response to two recent fatal construction site accidents that involved cranes. The crane accidents occurred in the year 2008. “Passing this bill was a necessary step toward ensuring the safety of our citizens,” said Senator Krueger.  “There have been too many instances where the Department of Buildings lacked the authority to fully ensure that construction sites remain safe which tragically led to crane collapses and numerous other incidents throughout the city.  Hopefully this legislation along with other changes made by the Department of Buildings and City Council in the last year will help put an end to this.”

Hazardous work sites must be re-inspected within 60 days of first being issued a hazardous notice by the Department of Buildings. The bill also allows the Department of Buildings to keep returning to the site every 60 days or less and keep issuing fines to the building until the hazardous site is fixed and restored. This piece of legislation will also prosecute people who file false certifications of correction of an immediate hazardous condition. These people will face charges for felonies or misdemeanors depending on the extent of the crime. If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident in the state of New York contact the law firm of Kleinick Law for expert legal counsel regarding your case today.