Ben Kallos, Re-Elect to New York City Council in 2017 - Public Safety

Crane Modernization Act Passes City Council

Feed — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Jobs

Public Safety

Crane Modernization Act Passes City Council

Completing a five-year effort by city government to improve safety operations for construction cranes, the City Council today passed the Crane Modernization Act Int. 443-A, which requires the City of New York and developers to remove older cranes from operation by limiting how long they can be in service to 25 years.

The Legislation Introduced by Council Member Kallos Limits the Age of Cranes Operating in New York City at 25 years
New York, NY– Completing a five-year effort by city government to improve safety operations for construction cranes, the City Council today passed the Crane Modernization Act Int. 443-A, which requires the City of New York and developers to remove older cranes from operation by limiting how long they can be in service to 25 years. Cranes will be removed from service based on the original date of manufacture, or based on the age of the crane’s oldest component, whichever is greater. This age limit is being imposed as part of an effort to improve the safety of crane operations at construction sites in New York City. Modernization of crane inventory would reflect advances in design, technology, and safetymaking this inherently precarious business safer.

Cranes remaining in operation for prolonged periods of time are more susceptible to stress and fatigue. Older cranes develop heightened maintenance needs over time and the failure of certain parts, or defunct manufactures, make conducting proper repairs on older crane models more difficult. A strict limit on the service life of cranes is designed to ensure that older models are continually replaced with the most sophisticated and advanced equipment available. Requiring crane owners to update their fleet and make new cranes available will help maintain New York City’s position as a worldwide leader in construction. A version of this legislation was originally introduced to the City Council at the request of the Mayor Bloomberg in 2013 and then reintroduced in a new session by Council Member Kallos in 2014.

"Safety should be front and center on constructions sites in New York City. Pedestrians should feel confident about the cranes working above them just as construction workers should be safe as they do their job," said Council Member Ben Kallos. "By forcing City inspectors and construction companies to phase-out cranes after 25 years the Crane Modernization Act will serve to keep pedestrians and constructions workers safe at all times by preventing accidents caused by older less technologically advanced equipment."

Since 2008, the Department of Buildings has taken steps to reduce the age of the crane fleet in New York City and discontinue the use of aging cranes. Newer crane models are generally electric, require less maintenance, have improved controls and advanced safety features, and are better for the environment. Requiring crane owners to update their crane fleet and make new cranes available will help maintain New York City’s position as a worldwide leader in construction.

CBSN 6 injured after scaffolding collapses in Manhattan by Sabrina Franza

Feed — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 07:52:17 +0000

CBSN

6 injured after scaffolding collapses in Manhattan

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-city-soho-scaffolding-collapses-several-in...

Sabrina Franza

11/19/2017

"Scaffolding that is meant to protect residents should not be up long enough that it needs to be inspected over and over again year after year," City Councilman Ben Kallos, a Democrat representing the Upper East Side, said in a statement.

"We can do a better job at keeping New Yorkers safe, by making sure building repairs are done as soon as possible and scaffolding are up for no longer than they have to be."

Units with the city's police and fire department remained on the scene early Sunday afternoon as the investigation and cleanup continued.

Southbound traffic was closed at Prince Street and northbound N, Q, R and E trains bypassed the Prince Street subway station for several hours Sunday afternoon.

Issue:

Public Safety

NBC News 4 New York Scaffolding Collapses in SoHo, Injuring 5 People: FDNY by Andrew Siff

Feed — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 07:52:16 +0000

NBC News 4 New York

Scaffolding Collapses in SoHo, Injuring 5 People: FDNY

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/SoHo-Scaffolding-Collapse-East-Houston-Bro...

Andrew Siff

11/21/2017

City Council Member Ben Kallos said the city should do a better job of making sure scaffolding is taken down in a timely matter.

"Although it is still unclear what exactly caused today’s dangerous incident, we do know that if the structure were not there it would not have collapsed and injured pedestrians," he said in a statement.

Scaffolding collapsed in SoHo amid high winds Sunday, scattering debris across the street and injuring five people.

The scaffolding collapsed at Broadway and Prince Street, in the heart of SoHo.

Video and photos showed large metal bars and pieces of wood scattered across the street as bystanders watched or ran to help. One video shows people frantically removing debris from a pile.

At least one person was seen being taken away on a stretcher. Police said everyone who was hurt suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries.

A wind advisory was in effect for all of New York City and much of the tri-state most of the day Sunday.

City Council Member Ben Kallos said the city should do a better job of making sure scaffolding is taken down in a timely matter.

A Department of Buildings investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The contract company hired by the owners of 568 Broadway had cleared the site by Sunday night and were replacing the damaged section of sidewalk shed. The DOB issued a violation to the building owner for a failure to maintain the property.

High winds toppled trees across the tri-state, including in the Bronx and Teaneck, New Jersey. And in Tribeca, a large scaffold on a building swung violently.

Issue:

Public Safety

PIX11 NYC lawmaker talks scaffold safety after pedestrians injured by falling scaffolding by Ayanna Harry and Jay Dow

Feed — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 07:52:16 +0000

PIX11

NYC lawmaker talks scaffold safety after pedestrians injured by falling scaffolding

http://pix11.com/2017/11/20/nyc-lawmaker-talks-scaffold-safety-after-pedestrians...

Ayanna Harry and Jay Dow

11/20/2017

MANHATTAN — Before Sunday morning’s scaffolding collapse in SoHo, City Councilman Ben Kallos called for changes to the city’s scaffolding regulations.

“I don’t want to say the sky is falling, but literally, the scaffolding is now falling,” Councilman Kallos said in an interview with PIX11 News.

“I introduced legislation in the City Council that anytime you put up scaffolding, you have seven days to start the work, get the work done within 3-6 months, and then get the scaffolding down, otherwise the city steps in.”

Kallos says the legislation he introduced has been debated amongst City councilmembrs and now he’s in negotiations with the Mayor’s office to push for final approval.

“Every New Yorker is tired of scaffolding. It’s one of the top issues that people just hate about the city,” Kallos said.

Real estate industry executives say it's not cost effective to erect scaffolding, then take it down all while they continue to develop a property.

MANHATTAN — Before Sunday morning’s scaffolding collapse in SoHo, City Councilman Ben Kallos called for changes to the city’s scaffolding regulations.

“I don’t want to say the sky is falling, but literally, the scaffolding is now falling,” Councilman Kallos said in an interview with PIX11 News.

Kallos says the legislation he introduced has been debated amongst City councilmembrs and now he’s in negotiations with the Mayor’s office to push for final approval.

“Every New Yorker is tired of scaffolding. It’s one of the top issues that people just hate about the city,” Kallos said.

Real estate industry executives say it's not cost effective to erect scaffolding, then take it down all while they continue to develop a property.

The Department of Buildings is investigating scaffolding that collapsed Sunday at the corner of Prince Street and Broadway in SoHo Sunday, injuring five people.

If you ever find yourself in this kind of crisis, Dr. Nicholas Genes of Mt. Sinai Medical Center says it’s important to resist the urge to simply pull people out of the mess.

"You want to make sure they are awake and alert and can speak about their condition," said Dr. Genes.

Issue:

Public Safety

NY1 POLICE: SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSES ON SOHO STREET, INJURING 5 by Long Chong

Feed — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 07:52:01 +0000

NY1

POLICE: SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSES ON SOHO STREET, INJURING 5

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2017/11/19/scaffolding-collapse-manhatt...

Long Chong

Five people were hurt Sunday afternoon after scaffolding collapsed in Manhattan, police officials said.

"I turn around and you just see scaffolding coming down, some steel beams on the floor," witness Jon Sgouros said. "I thought it was a bomb or something, it was so loud."

FDNY Deputy Chief Chris Boyle said the 40-foot sidewalk shed collapsed onto the corner of Broadway and Prince Street in SoHo around 11:36 a.m.

The high winds appeared to have caused the scaffolding to collapse, which trapped multiple pedestrians, the FDNY said.

Five people were hurt Sunday afternoon after scaffolding collapsed in Manhattan, police officials said.

"I heard them saying there were people underneath it, so we started lifting the beams, we started helping people, and by that time the firefighters showed up," one witness said.

Police said the five adults were transported to Bellevue Hospital with minor injuries.

With the area usually clogged with shoppers and tourists, and several pedestrians on the sidewalk when the collapse occurred, Boyle said it was lucky that there were not more injuries.

Broadway and Prince St. are closed to southbound traffic. Drivers should expect traffic delays and road closures overall in the area.

Northbound W and R trains skipped the Prince St. station earlier in the day.

City buildings department officials said the sidewalk shed was installed last December.

An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the collapse.

Separately in the East Village, high winds caused a scare with some unstable scaffolding on 6th St. near Avenue D.

Buildings Department Inspectors checked it out, and the scaffolding was secured.

A wind advisory was in effect in the five boroughs until 6 p.m., with New Yorkers facing winds stronger than 45 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.

The city's building department said Saturday that all construction sites, buildings, and equipment should be properly secured.

Issue:

Public Safety

Our Town Measuring bike safety by Mike Garofalo

Feed — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:22:18 +0000

Our Town

Measuring bike safety

http://www.ourtownny.com/local-news/20171114/measuring-bike-safety

Mike Garofalo

11/14/2017

On Manhattan’s East Side, the number of traffic collisions involving cyclists is on pace to continue on a downward trend: to date, there have been 228 collisions involving cyclists in 2017, down from 350 in 2016 and 373 in 2015, according to NYPD data. The number of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians injured in collisions on the East Side dropped over the same period.

Since 2012, 1,194 cyclists have been injured in collisions with motor vehicle on the East Side, but none have been killed, according to an analysis of NYPD data covering East Side zip codes from 26th to 96th Streets performed by the office of Council Member Ben Kallos. Thirty-nine pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles over the same period, along with 2,722 injured. Since 2012, no pedestrians have been killed in collisions with bicycles in the East Side zip codes covered in the analysis.

Police in the 17th and 19th precincts have issued 1,557 summonses to bicyclists so far this year, mostly for running red lights and failing to give pedestrians the right of way. Motor vehicle operators received nearly 16,000 summonses in the two precincts over the same period, including 1,541 to drivers for not giving the right of way to pedestrians.

http://www.ourtownny.com/global/images/print.gif

Issue:

Public Safety

ABC7 Wooden planks everywhere as scaffolding collapses into the street in Lower Manhattan by Cefaan Kim

Feed — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:22:17 +0000

ABC7

Wooden planks everywhere as scaffolding collapses into the street in Lower Manhattan

http://abc7ny.com/6-hurt-after-scaffolding-collapses-into-manhattan-street/26701...

Cefaan Kim

11/19/2017

SOHO, Manhattan (WABC) --

Six people were hurt after scaffolding collapsed into the street in Lower Manhattan Sunday morning.

The incident happened just after 11:30 a.m. near the intersection of Broadway and Prince in SoHo.

Pictures from the scene show wooden planks all over the street, and FDNY firefighters at the scene.

FDNY officials said "we're absolutely lucky" there aren't more injured in this busy neighborhood. There is a subway stop right at the intersection, and the area was packed with people out enjoying their Sunday morning.

Investigators said strong wind is to blame for the collapse. A piece of plywood "acted like a sail" and blew the whole rig down.

Cellphone video shot moments after the collapse shows bystanders running in to help people trapped:

Two people had to be rescued from under the rubble. They and three others were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor, non-life threatening injuries.

SOHO, Manhattan (WABC) --

Six people were hurt after scaffolding collapsed into the street in Lower Manhattan Sunday morning.

The incident happened just after 11:30 a.m. near the intersection of Broadway and Prince in SoHo.

Pictures from the scene show wooden planks all over the street, and FDNY firefighters at the scene.

Investigators said strong wind is to blame for the collapse. A piece of plywood "acted like a sail" and blew the whole rig down.

Cellphone video shot moments after the collapse shows bystanders running in to help people trapped:

Two people had to be rescued from under the rubble. They and three others were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor, non-life threatening injuries.

Issue:

Public Safety

Our Town Measuring bike safety by Mike Garofalo

Feed — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:22:17 +0000

Our Town

Measuring bike safety

http://www.ourtownny.com/local-news/20171114/measuring-bike-safety

Mike Garofalo

11/14/2017

http://www.ourtownny.com/global/images/print.gif

Issue:

Public Safety

NBC News 4 New York Scaffolding Collapses in SoHo, Injuring 5 People: FDNY by Wale Aliyu

Feed — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:22:17 +0000

NBC News 4 New York

Scaffolding Collapses in SoHo, Injuring 5 People: FDNY

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/SoHo-Scaffolding-Collapse-East-Houston-Bro...

Wale Aliyu