All of the buildings now be erected in New York need to be reexamined for compliance
to their issued permits.
The crane damaged building has had its permit revoked (the developer varied from what he was permitted to build) and a check subsequently shows 80% non-compliance in the plans that were reviewed. Stp construction an examine these permits now!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Editorial from the New York Time- Speaks of Increasing fines and income for the city and doesn't advocate removal of contractor violations
Even the New York Times believes that Bloomerg is fixing this..They're suggesting that constuction proceed at the current pace without stopping bulders who make violations.
Just raise the fines says the TIMES... Yeah thats gonna work....NOT!
"New Yorkers were rightly appalled when shortly after the second of this year’s two deadly crane accidents, the city’s chief crane inspector was charged with taking bribes. The disclosure suggests that the city’s Buildings Department, which is supposed to prevent unsafe construction, may be a large part of the problem.
The Bloomberg administration and the City Council have proposed good reforms, including tracking contractors’ safety records, shutting down repeat offenders and heavier fines — all designed to hold builders more accountable. Extra training for crane operators would become mandatory.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg deserves credit for doubling the number of building inspectors, but the more than 400 now on the job is still about half the number on duty a decade ago. That is not enough to monitor New York City’s construction boom, and the new mandates will put further pressure on an ill-equipped agency.
New Yorkers are especially worried about crane safety; nine of the fatalities came in crane accidents. The city has depended on just four crane inspectors, who cannot possibly keep up with the 200 or so cranes used citywide. Beefing up their ranks needs to be a priority. We also would like to see stringent checks on cranes by qualified specialists and a system — similar to those for used cars — that tracks repairs. The investigation of last month’s accident on Manhattan’s East 91st Street is still going on, but some reports suggest that the mishap may have been caused by a bad weld on a crane part.
There also needs to be tougher penalties for builders who run unsafe work sites. Right now, the fines are so low that contractors see them as one more cost of doing business. Any contractor involved in bribing an official should face criminal charges and be stripped of the right to build in New York.
Major construction projects will never be completely without risk. But the city needs to do a lot more to reassure the public that it is doing its level best on safety."
Just raise the fines says the TIMES... Yeah thats gonna work....NOT!
"New Yorkers were rightly appalled when shortly after the second of this year’s two deadly crane accidents, the city’s chief crane inspector was charged with taking bribes. The disclosure suggests that the city’s Buildings Department, which is supposed to prevent unsafe construction, may be a large part of the problem.
The Bloomberg administration and the City Council have proposed good reforms, including tracking contractors’ safety records, shutting down repeat offenders and heavier fines — all designed to hold builders more accountable. Extra training for crane operators would become mandatory.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg deserves credit for doubling the number of building inspectors, but the more than 400 now on the job is still about half the number on duty a decade ago. That is not enough to monitor New York City’s construction boom, and the new mandates will put further pressure on an ill-equipped agency.
New Yorkers are especially worried about crane safety; nine of the fatalities came in crane accidents. The city has depended on just four crane inspectors, who cannot possibly keep up with the 200 or so cranes used citywide. Beefing up their ranks needs to be a priority. We also would like to see stringent checks on cranes by qualified specialists and a system — similar to those for used cars — that tracks repairs. The investigation of last month’s accident on Manhattan’s East 91st Street is still going on, but some reports suggest that the mishap may have been caused by a bad weld on a crane part.
There also needs to be tougher penalties for builders who run unsafe work sites. Right now, the fines are so low that contractors see them as one more cost of doing business. Any contractor involved in bribing an official should face criminal charges and be stripped of the right to build in New York.
Major construction projects will never be completely without risk. But the city needs to do a lot more to reassure the public that it is doing its level best on safety."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Subway service affected adversely by heat wave
Service was interrupted on many trains the "F" being almost dysfunctional
Whaddayou expect from an organization (THE MTA)
that air conditions employee token booths by EXHAUSTING the hot air on their CUSTOMERS!
Whaddayou expect from an organization (THE MTA)
that air conditions employee token booths by EXHAUSTING the hot air on their CUSTOMERS!
Friday, June 6, 2008
City’s Top Crane Inspector Is Arrested
and they're telling us, once again, this doesn't reflect the recent crane accidents.
It seems in light of yesterdays daredevils who scaled the TIMES BUILDING on 41st and 8th,
that it may be safer to scale a highrise to the top on foot than walk next to one under construction!
It seems in light of yesterdays daredevils who scaled the TIMES BUILDING on 41st and 8th,
that it may be safer to scale a highrise to the top on foot than walk next to one under construction!
City drafts new safety measures
The new actions, which you can read elsewhere, include having a concrete site safety manager present, meeting prior to erecting cranes, and assigning a safety monitor to "jobs with multiple immediately hazardous safety violations, or otherwise poor safety records." Mayor Bloomberg said.
I think the problem is they cannot really change the law for unexplained reasons.
Why else would you 'after the issue', place a safety monitor on a site with multiple
safety violations? This is wrongheaded thinking. Unless there is no way to actally get these uncooperative developers to remove violations before continuing to build on these unsafe sites.
Good luck spotting new violations actually as they happen with this new 'safety monitor'
I think the problem is they cannot really change the law for unexplained reasons.
Why else would you 'after the issue', place a safety monitor on a site with multiple
safety violations? This is wrongheaded thinking. Unless there is no way to actally get these uncooperative developers to remove violations before continuing to build on these unsafe sites.
Good luck spotting new violations actually as they happen with this new 'safety monitor'
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Great Pix inclunding the Cranes assembly back on April 19 2008
http://flickr.com/photos/seth_holladay
http://flickr.com/photos/seth_holladay
Monday, June 2, 2008
Question for Construction safety
Can someone address the following inconsistency?
I've heard that safety is insured by the contractors themselves.
That is, Building Inspections may catch a safety violation, but their primary purpose is to raise income for New York by fining developers.
The actual safety is only guaranteed by the developers own safety concerns.
?
Is this accurate? and if so how can we get a safety insurance by a third neutral party?
I've heard that safety is insured by the contractors themselves.
That is, Building Inspections may catch a safety violation, but their primary purpose is to raise income for New York by fining developers.
The actual safety is only guaranteed by the developers own safety concerns.
?
Is this accurate? and if so how can we get a safety insurance by a third neutral party?
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The Best Comment from the NEW YORK TIMES city room blog
Whose interests come first: the average New Yorker, or the real estate developers? I think we all can see the answer to that.
It is the job of government to put it’s citizens safety above the profit motive of a small group of individuals. But when that small group of individuals is old pals with and wines and dines Mr. Bloomberg, he forgets who he works for.
The result: developers get rich quick, cranes collapse, people die, Bloomberg finds it acceptable.
If Bloomberg cared about you and me, he would immediately suspend all crane construction and order inspections on all cranes. But he only cares about Vornado, Tishman, Ross, Trump and Ratner.
Elect a billionaire mayor, get a city run for the billionaires.
Posted by jeff
It is the job of government to put it’s citizens safety above the profit motive of a small group of individuals. But when that small group of individuals is old pals with and wines and dines Mr. Bloomberg, he forgets who he works for.
The result: developers get rich quick, cranes collapse, people die, Bloomberg finds it acceptable.
If Bloomberg cared about you and me, he would immediately suspend all crane construction and order inspections on all cranes. But he only cares about Vornado, Tishman, Ross, Trump and Ratner.
Elect a billionaire mayor, get a city run for the billionaires.
Posted by jeff
Friday, May 30, 2008
We need new legislation
The BASIC problem boils down to this: we live in a city where its more important to continue construction instead of insure safety.
What we need is a change in the law that requires all violations on a given site to be removed before construction continues.
NY Times on the previous March 15 crane collapse:
21 claims have been filed with the office, requesting $366.3 million in total and citing personal injury, property damage or wrongful death. Claimants have 90 days from the date of an incident to file a claim against the city.
What we need is a change in the law that requires all violations on a given site to be removed before construction continues.
NY Times on the previous March 15 crane collapse:
21 claims have been filed with the office, requesting $366.3 million in total and citing personal injury, property damage or wrongful death. Claimants have 90 days from the date of an incident to file a claim against the city.
Louis Coletti, president and chief executive of the Building Trades Employers’ Association, said that since the crane accident of March 15, the city has really increased oversight — I don’t know what more they can do.”
How can he say this look at what actally happened here Mr Coletti, PLEASE
We New Yorkers were still reeling from last weeks revelation ...reexamined here:
Just two days ago the city decided that inspectors will no longer be present every time a construction crane is being erected or made taller, an emergency provision put in place following the last major accident. This move by the D.O.B., tightening restrictions following a catastrophe, and then relaxing them as soon as the smoke clears, was likely premature.
betsy gotbaum
How can he say this look at what actally happened here Mr Coletti, PLEASE
We New Yorkers were still reeling from last weeks revelation ...reexamined here:
Just two days ago the city decided that inspectors will no longer be present every time a construction crane is being erected or made taller, an emergency provision put in place following the last major accident. This move by the D.O.B., tightening restrictions following a catastrophe, and then relaxing them as soon as the smoke clears, was likely premature.
betsy gotbaum
Crane that collapsed May 30 on 91st Street
a complaint on May 20 said, "CALLER STS THERE IS A CRANE APPROX 12 STORIES UP AND THERE IIS A PLATFORM THAT EXTENDS ACROSS SIDEWALK AND WELL INTO TRAFFIC WITHEQUIPMENT ON IT . LOCATION IS WEST SIDE OF 1 AVENUE APPROX 90 ST." It was inspected and the DOB deemed, "NO ACTION NECESSARY NO UNSAFE CONDITIONS ."
this link takes you to NY DEPT of BUILDINGS page listing the Construction Site
with the COLLAPSED CRANE
on the page are links to the the 26 complaints to the dept of buildings and all the violations issued to this site..8 outstanding violations before the collapse!!
very disturbing reading!
http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/ComplaintsByAddressServlet?requestid=1&allbin=1050218
this link takes you to NY DEPT of BUILDINGS page listing the Construction Site
with the COLLAPSED CRANE
on the page are links to the the 26 complaints to the dept of buildings and all the violations issued to this site..8 outstanding violations before the collapse!!
very disturbing reading!
http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/ComplaintsByAddressServlet?requestid=1&allbin=1050218
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)