A new construction safety bill created by the New York City Council has officially been signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio. As of 2018, city law will require any construction employees to complete a minimum of 40 hours of mandatory safety training standards before working to help reduce injuries on New York City construction sites.
Construction Safety Protections Required by New York City’s Intro 1447
The safety bill known as Intro 1447 was drafted to combat the rising number of construction worker deaths. According to the NY Department of Buildings (DOB), at least 8 construction workers have died this year and 12 workers died in 2016, with an average of 10 workers dying each year in the past five years. The Council hopes that stricter safety training laws will arm workers with the knowledge they need to assess danger and avoid hazards that lead to deaths.
The new regulations will require:
- Mandatory training. Construction or demolition workers must have a cumulative total of 40-55 hours of training, the first 10 hours of which must be completed by March 2018 and 30 hours to be completed by December 2018. Workers must complete the full required amount of training within five months of December 2018 and be issued an approved safety training (SST) card. In addition, workers must complete a 10-hour class, 30-hour class, or a 100-hour training program through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) between March 2018 and December 2018.
- Safety training before permits. No permit for construction or demolition work will be issued or renewed unless the applicant can certify that all workers included under the permit have completed required training under the building code and will remain compliant on required training for the duration of the permit.
- Civil penalties. Violations of the training requirement will be punished by civil penalties depending on the severity of the violation. Infractions that result in immediate hazards may incur a civil penalty up to $25,000 per violation; major violations may carry penalties up to $10,000 for each violation, and up to $500 for each lesser violation.
If you were injured in a construction accident, the experienced New York injury lawyers of Hofmann & Schweitzer can explain your options at no cost to you. Simply contact us online or call us directly at 212.465.8840 to schedule your free initial consultation.
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