Mayor Bloomberg Outlines New Measures To Prevent Construction Scaffolding Accidents

"Over the past five years, we've driven crime down to historic lows. And as our city's crime rate continues to fall, positive economic indicators continue to rise. One of greatest signs of confidence in our city's future is the record number of construction projects going on throughout the five boroughs. This is great news for the more than 100,000 men and women who work in the building trades. But, as the number of construction projects has increased… so too, unfortunately, has the number of construction accidents. Although public safety is at an all-time high, we can and must do more to ensure worker safety.

"This past November, a task force of experts convened by Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Roman and Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff, took a hard look at one of the riskiest areas of construction work: the suspended scaffolding industry. Suspended scaffolds are not the street-level sheds and support-scaffolds we see walking along the streets every day. They are the extended support structures that hang on the outside of buildings. If you look up, you can see the workers on these scaffolds washing windows or performing maintenance. This work can be very dangerous - because once you're up there… there really is no room for error. That's why every worker who goes up in a suspended scaffold should be trained, supervised, and wearing a safety harness. Tragically, six workers died last year in suspended scaffolding accidents because one or more of these precautions weren't taken. Read More at ci.nyc.ny.us