Buildings news update

January 12, 2022

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New Year, New Construction and Buildings Laws

As we begin a new year, we want to remind the industry about several important new laws that impact the City's Construction Codes related to safety on work sites, building inspection requirements, and property maintenance.

See below for links to the laws and their effective dates:

Local Law 74 of 2021: Amends Chapter 33 (Safeguards during Construction or Demolition) of the NYC Building Code in relation to fences at stalled construction sites. This Local Law has an effective date of December 24, 2021.

Local Law 119 of 2021 Amends section 5 of Local Law 1 of 2018 and extends the application period for certification of no harassment pilot program to October 31, 2021. This Local Law was retroactively deemed to be in effect on and after September 27, 2021.

Local Law 137 of 2021: Extends the deadlines for inspection and correction of building gas piping systems in certain community districts. This Local Law has an effective date of November 21, 2021, and Section 1 b&c retroactively deemed to be in effect on January 1, 2021.

Local Law 138 of 2021: Amends Chapter 3 (Maintenance of Buildings) of the NYC General Administrative Provisions in relation to inspections of building gas piping systems and extensions of time to complete work required by inspection. Section 4 has an effective date of March 21, 2022, and Sections 1, 2 & 3 retroactively deemed to be in effect on January 1, 2020.

Local Law 140 of 2021: Amends Chapter 5 (Miscellaneous) of the NYC General Administrative Provisions and extends the certification of no harassment pilot created by Local Law 1 of 2018 until September 27, 2026. This Local Law was retroactively deemed to be in effect on and after October 31, 2021.

Local Law 146 of 2021: Amends the Administrative Code of the City of New York, in relation to final inspections for temporary construction equipment permits and prohibiting stand-off brackets. This Local Law has an effective date of December 11, 2021, with the exception of Sec 1 which has an effective date of June 9, 2022.

Local Law 147 of 2021 Alters the definition of major building. This Local Law has an effective date of December 11, 2024.

Local Law 148 of 2021 Amends the New York City Building Code, in relation to cold-formed steel construction. This Local Law has an effective date of November 7, 2022.

Local Law 149 of 2021 Amends the New York City Building Code, in relation to construction superintendents. This Local Law has an effective date of November 7, 2022, with the exception of Sec 4 which has an effective date of January 1, 2022.

Local Law 154 of 2021: Amends Chapter 5 (Miscellaneous) of the NYC General Administrative Provisions in relation to the combustion of substances with certain carbon emission profiles. This Local law has an effective date if December 22, 2021.

Local Law 163 of 2021: Amends Chapter 33 (Safeguards during Construction or Demolition) of the NYC Building Code in relation to promoting the display of approved artwork on temporary protective structures. This Local Law has an effective date of September 1, 2023.

Find all Local Laws that affect the Department here.

DOB Releases Enforcement Bulletins

DOB has released its November 2021 Enforcement Action Bulletin this week. Read all about it here.

Enforcement Bulletins highlight DOB's actions to sanction and deter bad actors in the construction industry through the enforcement of safety laws and codes of conduct for construction professionals. These monthly bulletins represent only a fraction of DOB's efforts to enforce public safety, but serve as an important reminder that cutting corners on the work site and delaying building repairs will lead to consequences.

Find current and past Enforcement Action Bulletins online.

FAIRER Program Extended Until March 2022

New Yorkers with unpaid OATH judgments can still have related violation penalties reduced by up to 75%, thanks to the recent announcement that NYC’s FAIRER program has been extended until March 20, 2022.

Launched in an effort to support homeowners and small businesses in particular, the Fine and Interest Reduction Enabling Recovery (FAIRER) Program allows New Yorkers the opportunity to pay a reduced amount for eligible OATH/ECB judgments, if the violations are certified as corrected with DOB.

For questions about a DOB-issued violation, contact the Department's Administrative Enforcement Unit at (212) 393-2405 or online.

New Testing Requirements for Elevators and Escalators

New requirements from the 2022 NYC Construction Codes are now in effect for category testing of elevators and escalators.

Effective January 1, 2022, any elevator inspection agency that is performing these important annual category tests must now comply with new filing deadlines and requirements.

Read the new Service Update.

Review our previous Service Update for requirements for periodic elevator inspections.

New Periodic Boiler Inspection Requirements

Each winter in New York City, the boiler takes center stage as the most important piece of equipment in our city's buildings. Beginning January 1, 2022, owners of these all important devices must comply with newly updated annual boiler inspection requirements.

The new regulations include annual inspection requirements for electric high-pressure boilers, new reporting deadlines for inspection reports, and new shorter deadlines to correct observed boiler defects during an annual inspection.

Read the Service Notice.

Winterize Your Home!

Winter has come! It's common knowledge that homes without proper insulation and regularly serviced heating equipment can result in high out of pocket costs and even potential hazards for residents. But what can you do about it?

Follow our Winterizing Tips For Homes to ensure a warmer, safer, and more cost-effective winter season.

Proper winterizing practices are even more important on active construction sites, where snow and ice accumulation can cause injury risk to both construction workers and the public.

Check out our Winterizing Tips for Construction Sites to help promote a safe work site for your crews and for the public.

Staying on top of the latest weather updates is always your first line of defense in protecting your property and works sites against damaging snow, wind and ice. Stay up to date on potentially hazardous weather conditions by subscribing to Department of Buildings Weather Advisories.

DOB on Social Media

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