The Plumbing Foundation City of New York is set to host a virtual seminar aimed at educating building owners and managers on new gas safety and inspection requirements.
Following deadly gas explosions that rocked East Harlem and the East Village in 2014 and 2015, the New York City Council enacted a series of local laws that established new regulatory oversight and mandatory inspections for natural gas systems, intended to enhance safety and prevent future catastrophes.
As those laws, most notably Local Law 152 (2016), take effect, the Plumbing Foundation seminar is tailored specifically for building owners and managers.
Rudin Management COO John J. Gilbert III will join presenters from Con Edison, Northeast Gas Association and The PAR Group to provide an overview of the new inspection process from both building owner/manager and utility perspectives, outline available resources to building owners/managers, detail potential impacts that inspections will have on commercial tenants and more.
“New York is populated by complex mixed use buildings that have numerous meters for both commercial and residential tenants. These are the first new laws to take effect in decades that govern how those natural gas connections will be inspected. It’s in every owner’s and management company’s interests to make sure they’re up to date on the latest rules and regulations,” Gilbert said.
According to April McIver, Executive Director, Plumbing Foundation City of New York, the purpose of the virtual symposium is to offer a comprehensive overview of the new, multilayered regulatory structure that will affect residential and commercial buildings all across New York City.
“These new laws include very specific responsibilities for landlords that go well beyond previous requirements, some of which are complex and involve licensed master plumbers, professional engineers and coordination with public utilities. The Plumbing Foundation’s aim is to be a one-stop resource for building owners and managers when it comes to providing clear and accurate information pertaining to the new gas system inspection laws.”
For instance, the new laws mandate that inspections, compliance filings and any deficiency corrections must occur within specified timeframes or building owners face $10,000 violations, stoppage of gas service, and the potential loss of insurance coverage.
McIver continued, “It is in the best interests of building owners and managers to have a full understanding of the laws to protect themselves both financially and from a liability perspective, as service disruptions can be costly and take months to correct.”
The seminar takes place on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 11 a.m. For registration information, click here
