The number of jobs in the construction industry in New York City has also increased for four years in a row. Newyork Pesh Act entirely complies with OSHA rules and regulations for the safety of every employee but also has its independently developed reporting and recordkeeping processes (12 NYCRR Part 801).
The construction industry plays a crucial role in providing employment to an enormous sum of the population and stabilizing US economic curve. Following the pandemic of 2020, there was a massive wave of recession globally except in the construction industry of one of the world’s busiest cities i.e. New York. Half of the 91,600 new construction jobs in the State since 2010 were in New York City. The number of jobs in the construction industry in New York City has also increased for four years in a row, reaching 157,800 in 2018 and 19% higher than the pre-recession level.
New York is one of the twenty-six states to have an official state plan under the New York Public Employee Safety and Health Act (PESH Act). Newyork Pesh Act entirely complies with OSHA rules and regulations for the safety of every employee but also has its independently developed reporting and recordkeeping processes (12 NYCRR Part 801). State-instituted standards include the following:
- Preventing Violence at Work
- Firefighters must use emergency escape and self-rescue ropes and system components, which are only applicable in cities with fewer than one million inhabitants.
- Allowed Exposure Limits
- Right-to-Know / Hazardous Materials Information, education, and Training.
However, these standards apply to employees of the public sector in New York and not the private sector. Therefore, private and federal government workers remain under OSHA’s safety standards.
OSHA NEW YORK TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:
In 2017, New York state, in compliance with OSHA, launched “local law 196,” which emphasized the type and duration of training required for any employee seeking a job in the construction industry in NYC. According to local law 196:
- Newcomers can only start working once they have completed the OSHA-10-hour training course and must complete the 40hour training within the next six months to stay valid.
- From 1st December 2019 onwards, workers must complete the OSHA-30-hour training course.
- Sixty-two hours of training are required for supervisors, including site safety managers, site safety coordinators, concrete safety managers, construction superintendents, and competent individuals.
- Online training will be accepted before October 16, 2017. Only in-person and actively proctored online training will be accepted after October 16th.
- Employees have to renew the required training every five years to stay valid.
- No training is required by delivery men, professional engineers, and architects.
- A candidate for an SST Card who completed the necessary training but did not finish a specific course topic in the five years before submitting their application for an SST Card must complete the 4-hour fall protection or 4-year supported scaffold user in one year following the application for an SST card.
- Suppose the Department determines that there are untrained workers at a construction site. In that case, it will issue a violation and impose civil fines of up to $5,000 per unable worker on the site owner, the permit holder, and the untrained worker's employer.
To be an active part of the construction industry in Newyork city, one has to comply with OSHA’s safety standards strictly. The mandatory OSHA safety standards include:
- Fall protection requirements
- Crane & Derrick safety regulations
- Safety training and education
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Fire prevention measures
- Scaffolding safety requirements.
Fall protection:
Subpart M of the fall protection standards includes the criteria, legislation, and regulations for fall protection at construction sites. It protects from falling through gaps and hitting objects as they fall, as well as safety against dangerous gear and equipment without respect to height when personnel operates at altitudes of up to 6 feet above the ground. It is not, however, put into practice for workers to investigate, review, or assess working conditions prior to the start of the task itself or after all construction has been completed.
Crane and Derrick regulations:
Every construction site needs cranes, but improper crane usage can endanger life. According to OSHA regulations, cranes must be checked for suitable wire rope chains and controls, and their weight must not exceed the machine's capacity. Also, avoid moving the crane close to people since most accidents happen when an overhead weight hits someone.
Safety training and education:
An employer must attend all of the Secretary's safety and health training programs. Secondly, each employee must get training from the employer on how to identify unsafe conditions, how to avoid them, and the rules that apply to his workplace to reduce or eliminate any risks of disease or injury.
Personal Protective Equipment:
PPE, which includes protective headgear, eyewear, and hand gloves, can save lives. First, however, workers should receive proper training from contractors on how to utilize these tools. They should also be kept spotless and fitted to the individual bodies of each worker.
Fire prevention plan:
A written fire protection plan must be maintained on-site and made available to staff for review. However, an employer with ten or fewer staff members may tell them about the strategy orally. A fire prevention plan must contain:
- A rundown of all key fire risks, safe practices for handling and storing hazardous chemicals, probable ignition sources and how to prevent them, and the kind of fire protection apparatus required to control each significant risk.
- Procedures to manage accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials;
- The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control ignition sources.
Scaffolding safety requirements:
Hazardous objects like loose bricks, drums, or cartons shouldn't support scaffolding. In addition to its weight, the structure must be solid and capable of supporting four times the maximum specified load without settling or shifting.
Newyork construction industry is one the largest growing economic forums in the US, employing many individuals in the construction sector. However, they say, “with great power comes great responsibility.” That is why employers should carefully comply with all safety standards by OSHA to ensure safety and prevent loss of finance
