An investigation of construction sites in New York has uncovered alleged circumvention of regulations that are in place to ensure the safety of workers and anyone in the vicinity of such areas.
Back in September, inspectors with the city’s Department of Buildings discovered that numerous work sites scattered throughout Manhattan had been operating with scaffold certification cards which appeared to have been forged. These cards are necessary for any work in the city that requires the use of a scaffold.
With this information in hand, the DOB and the Department of Investigation initiated an operation on October 12 meant to catch those sites that were operating with fraudulent cards. A total of 16 work sites were inspected, and 70 cards were taken away by investigators. The investigators with the agencies also arrested 30 people and shut down 14 work sites. Many of the shutdowns stemmed from violations involving offenses like installing support scaffolding without having the proper approval to do so. One of the arrested persons is being accused of taking actual certification cards and altering them to produce new documentation.
The commissioners of the organizations praised the efforts of investigators in this operation and emphasized the importance of safety. It’s essential that construction sites adhere to the necessary requirements, otherwise the lives of workers and all those who draw near are put at risk.