Too Little Too Late to Prevent Brooklyn Building Collapse and Injury
(Photo Courtesy of the New York Daily News) Emergency crews rescue man trapped in rubble after Brooklyn building collapses.
I'm glad to hear that New York City's Department of Buildings (DOB) is investigating the recent collapse of a three story building in Brooklyn.
Although there were no fatalities, it was a serious accident, with dust and debris flying into the air as the Williamsburg property crashed into the ground. Four people were injured at the site where the Conselyea Street building was being renovated, including one construction worker who was trapped in the rubble for twenty minutes before being pulled out by emergency services. The seriously injured worker was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where he was reportedly in stable condition.
The DOB says it plans to issue fines against the contractor - Brooklyn based China Perfect Construction - for building code violations in connection with the accident, as workers at the site may have removed a necessary support beam. China Perfect advertises itself on it's website as "setting it's prices 20% less than other general contractors". Is this a "you get what you pay for" situation"?
"Contractors must be held responsible for their work and in this case it appears that critical supports to the building were removed," said a DOB spokesman in an interview with the New York Daily News. "Violations with monetary penalties will be issued." That should make a big difference?!
Although it is commendable that the DOB will likely fine China Perfect Construction and the Chief Engineer on the site, they shouldn't pat themselves on the back yet. About a year ago, the Department of Buildings issued a violation after they received a complaint that there were cracks in the exterior of the same Conselyea Street Building. Yet, according to public records, the contractor didn't receive so much as a slap on the wrist.
The time for the New York City Department of Buildings to take action is not after tragedy strikes - but before construction accidents occur. Issuing a paper violation and not handing down a fine- like the DOB has done in the past to China Perfect Construction isn't an effective deterrent to prevent future accidents. The DOB also has to take more steps to ensure that there are no more people like its corrupt former chief crane inspector breaking the law within its own ranks.
The emphasis of the NYC Department of Buildings must be to prevent construction site accidents, not simply fine general contractors. Fines inevitably just become a cost of doing business for such contractors, even when such costs are tinged with the blood of innocent workers.
