The National Weather Service forecasts heavy rain and winds up to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for the New York City area Friday, March 12, 2010 through Sunday. In preparation for the windy weather, the Buildings Department is reminding all builders, contractors, and property owners to secure their construction sites and buildings. The Buildings Department will be performing random spot-check inspections of construction sites around the city. If construction sites are not safely secured in preparation for the inclement weather, the Department will take immediate enforcement action with the issuance of violations and Stop Work Orders if necessary.

Buildings Department experts will be available at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Owners Forum on Tuesday, March 23 to answer any questions you may have regarding construction in your home or around your neighborhood. The forum will be held:

DOB Commissioner LiMandri and DOI Commissioner Gill Hearn announced that Registered Architect Robert Scarano has been barred from filing all building documents with the Department of Buildings following a hearing at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. On March 1, an Administrative Law Judge found that Mr. Scarano knowingly made false and misleading statements to the Department of Buildings on documents relating to buildings at 145 Snediker Avenue, 158 Freeman Street and 1037 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. Based on Judge Salzman’s recommendation, Commissioner LiMandri issued an order on March 3 prohibiting Mr. Scarano from submitting any document with the Department of Buildings.

On January 21, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Commissioner LiMandri announced the winner of the urbanSHED International Design competition.  The winning design "Urban Umbrella" was developed by 28-year-old architecture student Young-Hwan Choi with assistance from Sarrah Khan, P.E., and Andres Cortes, R.A., of the New York-based design firm Agencie Group.

New standpipe and sprinkler piping laws go into effect beginning February 2010. Building owners and contractors must be sure their properties and projects comply with these new laws.

The Department now accepts documentation from the Crane Institute Certification (CIC) in addition to the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) for Class C HMO licenses.

There were 3 fatal construction accidents in 2009, an 84% decrease when compared to the previous year. The significant decrease in 2009 comes as the Department obtained expanded enforcement powers, increased its oversight of high-risk construction operations and implemented new programs and initiatives designed to raise safety awareness throughout the construction industry.

The Department of Buildings had several major accomplishments in 2009, including the launch of new initiatives and programs designed to increase safety and improve accountability at construction sites across the City. Below are more details on our major accomplishments.

Beginning January 13, applicants must file the asbestos abatement ACP7 form to the A-TRU unit at the Department of Environmental Protection. While the Buildings Department will no longer accept the ACP7 after this date, applicants must continue to declare any asbestos work on the PW1.

Architects’ and engineers’ plans must comply with the Energy Code – and contractors must follow Energy Code-compliant drawings when they build. Read the overview on how to comply with the Energy Code and review the guidelines.

We’ve created a new page to help keep track of our monthly operation changes.

The deadline by which Special Inspectors must obtain all required certificates to conduct inspections has been extended until after December 31. Registration will begin in 2010. Keep reading Buildings News for more information.

All workers (as defined by the new Codes) are required to complete a 10-hour construction safety course approved by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Visit OSHA's website to locate an authorized training facility and for information on how to become an authorized trainer.