On October 30, 2023, the Department of Buildings announced a new initiative to help combat overdoses among construction workers. A recent Department of Health survey Health revealed that construction workers led occupational groups in overdose deaths. In response to the Department of Health’s survey, both the Health and Building Departments are taking action to address the dangers of substance abuse and highlight the tools provided by the City to construction workers. Staff from both agencies … <Read More>

Buildings has conducted thousands of inspections since the program’s launch in 2005. On June 21, 2023, the Department of Buildings announced the return of the No-Penalty Inspection Program, which offers property owners the opportunity for a free, no-penalty visual inspection of certain parts of their property. The program encourages property owners to take proactive steps in ensuring their property is safe. 

The campaign follows four tragic fatalities on construction sites between November and December 2022. On December 28, 2022, Department of Buildings Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik announced the launch of a new winter construction safety campaign. The safety campaign aims to highlight potential dangers for serious injuries and fatalities on work sites. The campaign follows a series of four tragic instances of worker fatalities on sites in November and December.

On March 28, 2022, the Department of Buildings released its next construction safety report for the calendar year 2021. The report highlights and provides analysis for safety trends across the city, provides data regarding incidents and provides descriptions of significant construction incidents, including all nine construction-related fatalities from 2021. 

DOB inspectors visited almost 7,500 constructions sites over the summer. On September 13, 2021, Department of Buildings Commissioner, Melanie E. La Rocca released the results of the new Zero Tolerance Construction Safety campaign, where Department inspectors swept construction sites citywide to check for proper safeguards. The campaign launched in early June following seven construction-related fatalities between January and May 2021.

Violations for illegal conversions or violations associated with injury or death will not qualify. On September 1, 2021, the Department of Buildings announced the first homeowner relief program in New York City to help property owners of one- and two-family houses. The program’s goal is to help small property owners avoid fines by giving them time to fix DOB violations. The program has education initiatives for homeowners about their legal requirements as property owners without … <Read More>