The first of the two bills, Introductory Number 760, will require that contractors with poor safety records hire and pay for independent safety compliance officers. The officers will work on contract as agents of the Department of Buildings.

The second bill, Introductory Number 878, requires all general contractors--as well as demolition and concrete contractors--to obtain a safety registration number from the DOB in order to get building permits. The number will allow the DOB to track contractors' performance and identify those with patterns of non-compliance and poor safety records.

Under the legislation, the buildings commissioner can require any contractor with a bad safety record to create a plan to improve safety at its construction sites. The law will require the DOB to study the data it obtains over 12 months as a basis to determine whether or not to deny, revoke or suspend a problem contractor's safety control number.