THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2024
The annual New York City Construction Report recently highlighted the lowest building construction-related fatalities in almost a decade, with the city’s Department of Buildings noting that construction remains “a safer profession today than in years past.”
Published just in time for the beginning of National Construction Safety Week, the report provides an overview of department-collected data to increase transparency within the construction industry, while highlighting the importance of safety regulations in the city’s Construction Codes.
The 2023 report found that, despite conducting more total inspections than ever, department personnel have issued fewer violations and Stop Work Orders than the past several years. Additionally, building construction-related fatalities in the five boroughs are at the lowest number in nearly a decade, with seven deaths in 2023 as compared to a high of 14 in 2019.
Report Findings
The annual report provides an overview of building development data, construction worker incidents and enforcement actions, to increase transparency within the construction industry and highlight the importance of adhering to the safety regulations in the city’s Construction Codes.
|
|
| © iStock.com / TomasSereda |
|
The annual New York City Construction Report recently highlighted the lowest building construction-related fatalities in almost a decade, with the city’s Department of Buildings noting that construction remains “a safer profession today than in years past.” |
Notable data from the 2023 report includes the following:
Also notably, data from the department reportedly showed a large increase of 14% in ladder falls, stair falls and tripping incidents. These types of incidents were investigated by the department but did not result in any enforcement actions because no unsafe or illegal conditions were found.
Additionally, despite the uptick in construction related incidents and injuries, construction overall reportedly remains a safer profession today than in years past, with an 8% decrease in building construction-related injuries in the last five years.
“This Construction Safety Week let’s challenge ourselves, as an industry and a regulatory agency, to join together in redoubling their efforts to keep construction workers safe on the job site,” said Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo.
“Collectively, we should be proud of the collaborative work done in 2023 to drive down building construction-related fatalities, but there is still so much work to do because even one death is too many. Our annual Construction Safety Report underscores the progress made in enhancing compliance and promoting worksite safety, while also serving as a potent reminder about the tragic consequences when corners are cut and safety regulations are ignored.”
The department says that throughout Construction Safety Week, personnel will be fanning out across the city to conduct spot inspections and chat with workers about the critical importance of worksite safety. They will also be reaching out to licensees and registrants citywide, and sharing critical safety messages on social media, to spread the word about best practices for staying safe on the job.
Tagged categories: Accidents; Construction; Fatalities; Good Technical Practice; Health & Safety; Health and safety; Inspection; Labor; Program/Project Management; Safety; Workers
