New York City recently enacted legislation that will require contractors to hire construction superintendents for all major projects at buildings higher than three stories.
Another new law requires the Department of Buildings (DOB) to notify OSHA about construction code violations that may endanger workers. The measure requires reporting within 72 hours of an incident about contractors involved in the project, nature of work, hours on the job, injuries, who was hurt, collective bargaining rights of those injured, and details on the site. Contractors face fines of up to $25,000 and daily fines of as much as $1,000 for those who fail to report.
New laws also govern the use of cranes. Operators of Class-B hoisting machine must get a license rating to use certain cranes. Certain cranes must have GPS or other locating devices; and certain cranes must be equipped with data-logging equipment to record operations and work conditions.
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