All You Need to Know About Site Safety Management

Ensuring safety on construction sites is easier said than done. However, construction site safety is an essential requirement in New York City. The construction industry has historically recorded higher fatal and nonfatal injuries than other sectors. According to NYC Department of Buildings statistics, 502 construction-related injuries occurred on construction sites in 2020. In addition, eight construction-related fatalities occurred during this period. While construction-related injuries and fatalities reduced in 2020 from the preceding year, the NYC Department of Buildings wants to reduce construction site incidents further. As a result, the DOB has prepared an extensive chapter – titled chapter 33 – to ensure site safety.

Site safety is crucial for protecting construction workers, pedestrians, and people passing construction or demolition sites. However, ensuring site safety can also be challenging because of its intricacies. Here’s a blog post detailing everything to know about site safety management.

Everything You Need to Know About Site Safety Management

Here’s everything you need to know about site safety management:

Site Safety Plans

Section 3301.13.1 of Chapter 33 of the DOB’s code states that sites requiring primary construction superintendents must have a site safety plan that meets the requirements of Article 110 of Chapter 1 of Title 28 of the Administrative Code. The site safety plan must also be kept on-site and made available to the Department of Buildings if requested.

Workers Training

Permit holders must ensure that construction workers get 40 hours of safety training, which includes eight hours of fall prevention training when working on sites with fall hazards. Construction sites for major buildings with site safety managers and coordinators must ensure they provide job-specific training to workers.

The DOB allows workers to receive actively proctored online safety training, which must fulfill the following conditions:

• The person administering safety training must confirm the identification of the worker taking the training according to the DOB’s guidelines.
• The person responsible for construction safety must actively monitor the site where such training is required. They must also ensure workers receive 40 hours of site safety training.
• They must ensure training complies with other requirements listed by the DOB.

Construction Site Safety Managers, Coordinators, and Superintendents

Chapter 33 of the Department of the Buildings requires the presence of site safety managers and coordinators on-site of a major building, according to Section 3310. Likewise, superintendents must be present at the construction or demolition site of other buildings, according to Section 3301.13.3.

Site safety managers, coordinators, and superintendents are necessary. They must ensure the site complies with the site safety plan. They’re also responsible for ensuring the construction or demolition site fulfills all site safety requirements of the DOB’s Chapter 33.

Site Safety Meetings

Section 3301.12 was added to the DOB’s Chapter 33 by Local Law 204 of 2017 and became effective on May 16, 2017. Pre-shift site safety meetings are essential for ensuring site safety compliance. Permit holders at construction sites requiring a site safety manager, coordinator, or construction superintendent must ensure each construction or demolition worker – employed or contracted – participates in a safety meeting before their shift commences according to requirements listed in Sections 3301.12.1 to 3301.12.3.

Permit holders are also required to designate a competent person to conduct these meetings according to Section 3301.12.1. These persons must have the capability to communicate with each worker participating in these meetings. Pre-shift meetings must include a review of activities and tasks performed during the meeting, highlighting specific safety concerns and risks.

The permit holder must also maintain a record of one pre-shift meeting for every worker.