Following a staggeringly high number of construction-related accidents and deaths on worksites over the past two years, NYC is ramping up its enforcement against construction violations.

In response to the rise in construction accidents, the DOB announced an increase in oversight on construction job sites in February 2016. By March of 2016, construction violations were reported to have increased by 46.8% over the previous year. Violations then continued to climb ever upward into June (3,762)--a 21% increase from June 2015.

The high volume of accidents is on the radars of both city and state politicians, and the Department of Buildings (DOB) continues to step up its enforcement in the wake of all these accidents. According to The Real Deal, the Environmental Control Board (ECB) combined with the DOB, reported that 49% of the infractions that occurred over a 5-year period (2010-2015), citywide, were construction violations. According to a report released in September, the number of construction-related accidents hit 500 in fiscal year 2016, compared to 314 the previous year. This 59% climb in accidents is a more than 200% percent increase from the year 2012.

Perhaps the light at the end of this proverbial tunnel is this: the City Council is currently preparing a construction-safety package that will require additional safety training and change the way the DOB keeps track of construction-related deaths. “Construction sites throughout New York City must no longer be allowed to operate with minimal, and at times criminally negligent, levels of training,” Patrick Purcell, executive director of the Greater New York Laborers & Employers Cooperation & Education Trust wrote in an email earlier this year.

If you have unresolved construction violations, Milrose can quickly and easily work to resolve these for you. Contact the New York City office of Milrose Consultants today.