DOB Hits Safety Milestone Ahead of Construction Training Deadline
Published on Oct 29, 2020 by
Real Estate Weekly
Staff, 10.29.20
The Department of Buildings announced today that its approved training providers have issued over 100,000 Site Safety Training (SST) cards to construction workers and DOB-licensed site safety professionals working in New York City.
The milestone comes with just four months remaining until the final SST training deadline for construction workers to obtain 40 hours of safety training, needed to work on any of New York City’s over 5,400 larger and more complex work sites across the city.
Part of landmark legislation Local Law 196 of 2017, this first-of-its-kind safety training program required the workers on larger construction sites in New York City to take OSHA and DOB approved safety courses, which has in turn contributed to an over 20 percent decrease in work site injuries in New York City last year, the first decrease in injuries in almost ten years.
“This is a critical milestone in creating a culture of safety to keep workers safe in the construction industry,” said Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca.
“Our commitment to creating safe worksites will continue until each and every one who steps foot on a construction site in the morning knows they will return to their families safely that evening. With the final SST deadline fast approaching, I encourage every worker to get their training as soon as possible.”
Currently, construction and demolition workers at all SST construction sites across the city are required to have 30 hours of safety training, and DOB-licensed site safety professionals at those sites are required to have 62 hours of safety training.
The final compliance deadline for construction workers on SST work sites to obtain at least 40 hours of required safety training, and their full SST Card, is March 1, 2021.
DOB has nearly 100 approved course providers that offer site safety training in multiple languages throughout the New York City metro area. About half of these training providers offer SST courses online in a format that complies with Local Law 196.
An online course provider map shows the location of each of these providers, and is sortable by course, language offering, and online training availability.
In an effort to make this training more accessible, applications are also open for the Construction Site Safety Reimbursement Program, a one-time grant through the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) for small construction firms, with 1-15 employees, to offset the cost of site safety training.
Since the passage of Local Law 196 of 2017, DOB has been conducting proactive visits at construction sites across the City, informing workers and employers of this safety training requirement, while keeping the industry informed of upcoming deadlines, and ways to obtain the training.
A Construction Site Safety Reimbursement Program helps small construction firms provide necessary training to their workers. Site Safety training is also available to laborers in multiple languages.
“The safety of our construction workforce is paramount and requires collaboration and cooperation from all sectors of the industry and our partners in government. Building Congress members strive to provide the highest level of safety on their sites, and we commend Commissioner La Rocca, her team and the building industry for achieving this milestone,” said Carlo A. Scissura, President and CEO, New York Building Congress
“REBNY members are committed to prioritizing construction safety and will continue to work closely with the City and other stakeholders to keep workers and employers informed about the need to secure SST training in a timely manner,” said James Whelan, President of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY). “We welcome DOB’s continued focus on safety as the development and construction industries continue to play a crucial role in New York City’s economy.”
https://rew-online.com/dob-hits-safety-milestone-ahead-of-construction-training-deadline/