Site safety crisis: There is a lack of safety managers available in New York City - by Matt Caruso

Matt Caruso, Construction Realty Safety Group

As time progresses, the site safety situation seems to be getting worse. It has been several months since we began telling you all about the site safety crisis.  As you are aware, there are many projects waiting to start due to the lack of safety managers available in the city.

The demand for licensed safety managers has also caused the hourly rate to rise significantly. Despite tremendous efforts to prevent this from happening, the crisis is here and it does not seem to be getting any better. We are constantly recruiting and as we have made you aware, we developed an on the job training program to promote home grown safety managers but this does not help with what is currently happening.

We are doing all that we can to get projects to be released from the site safety program as soon as possible.  Additionally, we’ve been successful obtaining some accommodations from DOB that offer additional options to cover the projects.

Some of our alternative solutions are:

• Alternative safety management (ASM): We provide a qualified safety professional to work under a licensed super or PM on the project, we perform all safety duties, responsibilities, and do the paperwork for the job, but the “license” is provided by CM/GC. This also results in a cost savings to the project.

• Reduction of license/requirement for manpower: Getting CCD1’s approved which allow a coordinator to take place of a manger through excavation/foundation, which gives us a greater labor pool to pull from. OR for renovation projects reducing the requirement of on-site full time presence only during exterior work/demolition/high risk operations (also via CCD1)

• Combining projects and safety managers: Two projects with close proximity (next block) allowed to use 1 safety manager for both projects (this is very project specific) same owner, same contractor, same stage of construction.

Although these alternatives have alleviated some of the pressure, the issue will soon be insurmountable if a change is not made soon.  Your continued support and understanding is appreciated as we work through these difficult times.

Matt Caruso is the president of Construction Realty Safety Group, Valley Stream, N.Y.