Industry Associations Argue Construction Safety Bills Pose Grave Dangers

Louis J. Coletti, speaking at the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York in 2014

NEW YORK CITY—The Building Trades Employers’ Association, the General Contractors Association of New York and the Allied Building Metal Industries jointly oppose Intro 1419-A and Intro 1399, bills included in the Construction Safety Act legislation to go before the City Council today.

The groups urge revisions in these bills prior to the council’s vote.

Intro 1419-A imposes penalties for immediate hazards or major violations of chapter 33 of the NYC Building Code where the violation results in a fatality or serious physical injury. The civil penalty would be a maximum of $500,000 for businesses and no more than $150,000 for individuals. The legislation directs the court to consider the defendant’s financial resources when determining the amount of the penalty.

BTEA president and CEO Louis J. Coletti says, “Ability to pay should not be a consideration when enforcing construction safety regulation. This provision was written ostensibly to prevent companies from being penalized out of business, but why should we be protecting companies that have deaths occurring on their construction sites?”