Construction Problems in NYC (dangerous, business, working)

[Viralmd]

Originally Posted by ecam222

Someone mentioned in a different forum that the highly skilled crane operators are being paid bigger bucks in Dubai. Makes you wonder. We never used to hear of so many of these cluster accidents.

I don't believe that NYC is losing skilled crane operators to Dubai. If that were true, one would see things like this from all over the US, because they'd recruit from the entire country, not just NYC. I think there has been so much new development in Manhattan (look at all the new buildings going up all over) that the people who oversee all this are in over their heads.

[Rudbeckia]

Are skilled crane operators the problem though? Does the guy driving the crane have a clue about structural support? Or does he just know how to drive a crane?

[Viralmd]

According to someone in the industry, just interviewed on TV, the problem is that, as I suspected, the building boom has made good crane operators a scarce commodity. What was really frightening was hearing that it only takes 48 hours of training to get a crane operator's license!! That could be less than two weeks of classes! Yikes!

[Carbro]

The crane in today's accident is owned by the same company that owned the crane that created the incident on E. 51st St.

Like the earlier one, neighborhood residents called in their concerns. I guess the DoB has an attitude of "What do they know?" More, apparently than the inspectors.

[SeventhFloor]

I started a thread a while back called "what does everybody do for a living?"

well if everybody doesn't know, i'm a project manager for a building code consultant firm, so i'm at the department of buildings almost on a daily basis, and i know the ins and outs.

the DOB is not the first in line to blame for this. sure you have a shady inspector here and there.

but the blame falls first on the developers, who need certain things accomplished at unfathomable deadlines, and that pressure falls on the contractors, who end up cutting corners.


so the chain goes like this:


developers > site safety manager > contractors > DOB

[Rudbeckia]

Sorry for my ignorance, what does DOB stand for?

[analyticalkeys]

Originally Posted by Rudbeckia

Sorry for my ignorance, what does DOB stand for?

Department of Buildings

[Carbro]

No, the DoB is not to blame, and it is overextended, but that is who city residents are directed to notify. The name of the crane operator is not on the scaffolding. The name of the foreman is not on the scaffolding, and a direct line to the desk of the CEO of the development firm is not on the scaffolding. Maybe they should be.

[BXGEAR]

Originally Posted by Rudbeckia

What type of education do the the people that are inspecting the construction sites have? What about the on-site people in charge? Are they engineers, or people with building science degrees? Or did they start out as workers and work their way up do you think?

The inspection of cranes are not done by private companies but is done by the NYC Department of Buildings. The average salary is $40,000 and a carpenter can become an inspector. This information was just aired on 20/20

[SouthQueens149]

The average salary is $40,000 and a carpenter can become an inspector.

I wonder what their recruitment and retention situation is? 40K for all of that responsibility just doesn't seem worth it. My guess is that they have a lot of turnover and that this hurts the agency's overall effectiveness. Children's services had the same problems, until they raised the pay and started hiring retired NYPD detectives.

Of course, the NYPD is headed down that road. But I don't know if any retired cops from other agencies are going to sign on LOL