NYC Enacts New Worker Safety Training Requirements for Construction Sector

The New York City Council enacted legislation this week to bolster the construction safety training requirements for permitted building and demolition projects in the city. The bill, called “Intro 1447” for short, revises Section 3321 of the NYC building code to add the new training requirements and details about the new Site Safety Training Card (SST Card) program. 

By March 1, 2018, permit holders will be required to ensure that all construction and demolition workers and subcontractors employed or engaged at a permitted site have completed an OSHA 10-hour training course, an OSHA 30-hour training course, or a 100-hour program of OSHA training.

Classroom or online safety training can be used to fulfill the requirements of the new legislation. For online training, the bill lays out specific requirements that training providers must meet.

Site Safety Training (SST) Cards

Training will be verified using a “card” system similar to OSHA’s “10-Hour Card” system. SST cards will be issued to workers who complete OSHA 10-hour, 30-hour, or 100-hour programs. For 10-hour and 30-hour training, workers will be required to complete additional “SST credits” to earn the card.

The legislation creates some variants of the SST card:
 

• A Temporary SST card can be issued to a new entrant to the construction or demolition workforce who completes an OSHA 10-hour training course, and expires after 6 months.
• An SST Supervisor Card can be issued to SST card holders who complete an OSHA 30-hour training course.
• In addition, a Limited SST Card may be issued before the final compliance date in the legislation.

More details about the various types of SST cards can be found in the text of Intro 1447.

Safety Training Requirements for Permit Holders

Permit holders at construction and demolition sites in NYC are responsible for ensuring that each construction or demolition worker they employ—or who otherwise works at the site—meets the new safety training requirements.

In addition, permit holders must maintain a daily site log that includes for each worker:​
 

• A copy of the SST card, SST supervisor card, limited SST card, temporary SST card; or
• Proof of compliance with Section 3321.1

Civil Penalties for NYC Safety Training Violations

The bill lays out civil penalties for violations of the new safety training requirements, as follows:
 

• A maximum $25,000 penalty for immediately hazardous violations, and $1,000 for each day the violation is not corrected
• A maximum $10,000 for major violations, and $250 for each day the violation is not corrected
• A maximum $500 for lesser violations

Establishing a Site Safety Training Task Force

Lastly, the legislation will create a Site Safety Training Task Force of 14 members to meet periodically and provide recommendations relating to safety training required by the NYC building code.

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Tags: construction, OSHA 10 Hour, OSHA 30 Hour, OSHA training, safety training