Stop-work Orders Increased 23% in NYC in 2016

The Department of Buildings has issued 4,580 stop-work orders in New York during the first six months of 2016 - a 23% increase compared to the 3,738 stop-work orders issued during the same period in 2015

Politico.com

The Department of Buildings has issued 4,580 stop-work orders in New York City during the first six months of 2016. That's a 23% increase compared to the 3,738 stop-work orders issued during the same period in 2015. That's also a 70% increase between 2012 and 2016.

The Department of Buildings claims the stop-work orders are important to ensuring safety on the city's construction sties and for everyone living and working in New York.

"Safe development is the department's top priority," buildings commissioner Rick Chandler said in a prepared statement. "We will not think twice about shutting down unsafe construction sites that endanger the public. Stop work orders send a message to contractors that we won't tolerate reckless behavior."

On the other side of the scale, critics have said the agency's inspectors have too much discretion.

"We feel that many of these stop-work orders are issued on a very subjective basis, and based on individual inspector determinations, rather than policy that would give guidance to the contractors," said Lou Colette, president of the Building Trades Employers' Association.

(more on the increase in NYC's stop-work orders...)

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