What’s New
The NYC Department of Buildings has promulgated new regulations regarding construction site safety, while continuing to plan additional rules and procedures. Yarmus Engineering, P.C. staff remain involved in the planning process, particularly via Mr. Yarmus’ leadership role within the NYS Society of Professional Engineers. It is a priority of our firm to maintain our awareness of current and impending construction and safety regulations.
Recent Projects
- Consultation regarding alleged building failure due to the construction of an adjacent residential apartment building in New York City
- Evaluation of the cause of freight elevator support cable failures in New York City, which resulted in the elevator and the operating employee falling six stories to the basement
- Consultation regarding an accident which occurred at an exit staircase located immediately adjacent to an area under renovation in southern NJ
Twelve Safety Violations Issued Following Construction Worker’s Death.
A construction worker was killed when he fell from the 10th floor of a hotel under construction on Park Avenue in New York City. A spokeswoman for the Department of Buildings indicated that it appeared that the worker “was not wearing a required harness, which is used to tether workers to buildings and prevent long falls,” and “that the Buildings Department issued eight safety violations against the builder and four others to subcontractors working there after the accident. The department also issued a stop-work order”.
On March 18, 2009, The New York Times ran an article summarizing this incident. Please click here to read the article (note that you will need to register for a free NYTimes.com account to read the article).
Yarmus Engineering, P.C. is available to assist its clients with the inspection, evaluation, and management of construction within the City of New York or any of the regions of the tri-state area in which we offer our services. Please contact our office if we can be assistance to you or your clients.
Smithsonian Worker Alleges Asbestos Mishandling.
On March 17, 2009, the AP reported that “an ill museum worker alleged in a whistleblower complaint Tuesday that the Smithsonian Institution didn’t properly contain asbestos-laden dust from construction at the National Air and Space Museum and penalized him after he complained”. According to “the federal complaint…workers weren’t informed of the material’s presence until March 2008, even though the Smithsonian acknowledges it knew about the asbestos in the 33-year-old building’s outer walls since at least 1992”. The institution “denies it retaliated against exhibits specialist Richard Pullman,” and “said it has no current plans to remove the material that can cause cancer and lung disease because of prohibitive costs,” citing studies that “show the asbestos at the museum poses no threat to workers or the its 5 million yearly visitors if properly handled or left undisturbed”.
The New York Times published the AP story on March 17, 2009. Please click here to read the article (note that you will need to register for a free NYTimes.com account to read the article).
The staff of Yarmus Engineering, P.C. includes personnel certified and licensed to inspect and survey for asbestos-containing materials, as well as to design the removal of same. We are available to assist our clients with planned renovation activities which may affect such materials, as well as to survey for such materials prior to the purchase of buildings or where maintenance concerns exist in already owned sites. Please contact our office if we can be assistance to you or your clients.