NYC Joins with OSHA in Five-Borough Alliance
Two months after a tower crane collapsed at a condominium project in Manhattan, OSHA announced yesterday it has joined an alliance with the New York City Department of Design and Construction to address construction hazards in all five boroughs of the city. Seven people died when the crane fell March 15, and the city's buildings commissioner, Patricia Lancaster, resigned April 22 after telling the city council that her department had erroneously issued permits for the construction project where the crane was being used.
The two partners will cross-train their inspectors and managers on each other's construction safety standards, regulations, and procedures, focusing on the most common construction hazards likely to cause accidents, injuries, and deaths. "This alliance formalizes an already active and positive cooperative relationship between OSHA and DDC," said Louis Ricca Jr., OSHA's acting regional administrator in New York. "A more thorough knowledge of each other's specific practices, procedures, and requirements will increase our ability to work together to identify and prevent hazards and enhance safety for construction employees throughout New York City."
Ricca signed the pact along with the three OSHA area directors whose offices cover the five boroughs, Richard Mendelson (Manhattan), Diana Cortez (Tarrytown), and Robert Kulick (Avenel). Signing for DDC were Commissioner David Burney and Associate Commissioner Mark A. Canu. OSHA said yesterday that it has more than 480 alliances under way nationwide.