Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri last week kicked off the Department’s 8th annual Construction Safety Week with the 2012 Build Safe/Live Safe Conference at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.
More than 350 construction professionals and government regulators attended the day-long conference where the Department unveiled its latest safety initiative, 3D Site Safety Plans.
The new program allows contractors on the City’s largest construction projects to electronically submit three-dimensional, interactive images of a project’s required site safety plan — increasing the overall safety of the construction process while accelerating Department plan approvals.
Three-dimensional site safety plans enable Department inspectors to take a virtual, step-by-step tour of how a new building or major renovation will be constructed, visualize its complexities and challenges and review critical safety measures — from the placement of the crane to the construction of the standpipe system to the installation of the sidewalk shed.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Cas Holloway delivered the keynote address at the safety summit, focusing on how the City has been working to accelerate the construction approval process while improving safety standards citywide.
“The use of 3D site safety plans is a revolutionary step toward improving construction safety throughout New York City, and we are encouraging more contractors to participate,” said Commissioner LiMandri.
“In recent years, the Department has implemented new regulations and created new units to improve industry standards, and builders across the City have taken significant steps to ensure New Yorkers are better protected during construction operations. But there’s more room for improvement, and through this safety summit, we will continue to work together to reduce potential risks on construction sites across the City.”
New York is among the first cities in the world to accept and review 3D site safety plans for construction operations and approvals.
Site safety plans are required for the City’s largest construction projects before permits can be issued — including the construction of new buildings 10 stories and higher, gut renovation of buildings 10 stories and higher that involve mechanical demolition, façade restoration of buildings 15 stories and higher and buildings with a footprint of 100,000 s/f or more.
Three-dimensional site safety plans are created with Building Information Modeling (BIM) software and can be uploaded to a secure, shared website where Department plan examiners can review them in an electronic format. Due to the evolving conditions on any major construction site, contractors can submit amendments to their site safety plans, and with the use of 3D images, revised plans can be submitted and approved in a more timely fashion than with the use of two-dimensional plans on paper.
Construction Safety Week is an annual series of events and outreach programs aimed at raising awareness about construction safety. Other events during the week included a Homeowner’s Night and a construction site visit.
