Today's the day! Industry professionals from across the five boroughs attended the first day of DOB’s digital construction innovation and safety conference.

There's still time to register! Our FREE online conference will run through Friday, November 19^th, featuring a series of educational online seminars for industry professionals, focusing on development, innovation, construction safety and the latest building regulations in New York City. Members of the construction community are also invited to attend daily multilingual virtual safety sessions, where DOB experts will demonstrate critical safety procedures and answer questions about staying safe on the job.

You can still catch seminars and sessions on:

• Drone Study and Façade Safety

• Building Energy Efficiency Grades

• Local Law 97 Updates

• Protecting Tenants in Occupied Buildings During Construction

• Construction Worker Safety Sessions

• 2021 Hack the Building Code Winners Presentations

Read our Press Release

Register for the Conference Today!

City Council Passes Four Construction Safety Bills

On Wednesday, November 10^th, the New York City Council passed four new construction safety bills. Among other important changes, these new bills will require more site safety supervision on more construction sites across the City.

Int 2263A-2021 - Definition of Major Building
This bill lowers the threshold for a major building construction site to include construction sites that involve existing or proposed buildings 7 or more stories or 75 feet or more in height, triggering additional site safety requirements for more construction sites.

Int 2276A-2021 - Construction Superintendents
This bill requires additional site safety supervision at major building construction sites, requiring the sites to designate a full-time construction superintendent, who would be responsible for safety and code compliance, along with overall management of the construction project, in addition to a site safety coordinator or site safety manager.

Int 2262A-2021 - Final Inspections for Temporary Construction Equipment Permits and Prohibiting Stand-off Brackets
This bill no longer requires certain final inspections for temporary construction equipment and prohibits the installation and use of stand-off brackets.

Int 2264A-2021 - Cold-formed Steel Construction
This bill amends certain existing requirements and establish new requirements for the use of cold-formed steel light-frame construction and amends related special inspection requirements.

Elevator and Escalator Safety Week

Did you know that November 14th to November 19th is National Elevator and Escalator Safety Week? To mark the week the Department is reminding New Yorkers on steps on how to stay safe while riding vertical transportation in our City. There are over 70,000 passenger elevators and over 2,800 escalators in New York City under the jurisidiction of the Department. Each year these devices allow for around one billion safe trips. Though elevators and escalators are among the safest forms of transportation in New York City, you still need to use common sense when riding. Follow us on social media to learn all about staying safe while commuting in your building! Property owners should also be aware that starting in calendar year 2022, they will be responsible for contracting an elevator company to perform the required annual routine inspection of these devices. Update For Elevator Inspection Agency Licensees The Department of Buildings is automatically extending the expiration date for Private Elevator Inspection Agency Director, Co-Director and Inspector licenses that are currently set to expire on December 31, 2021. Read our Service Notice for more information. For more information about license/registration renewal requirements, visit the Department Licensing Unit’s webpage.

City Hall in Your Borough Resource Fair

Got questions? Well, we got answers! DOB experts will be on-hand at tomorrow's City Hall In Your Borough Resource Fair being held in Brooklyn. Held from 2 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16th, at the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, located at 240 Nassau Street, Brooklyn, the Resource Fair will bring city commissioners and staff from a number of government agencies directly to you, to address your questions and concerns including city regulations, safety and much more. Stop by our table at the resource fair to get answers to any of your building and construction related questions. Plus, vaccinations will be available on site for attendees!