As will come as no surprise to regular readers, scofflaw development and unsafe building practices around the city have been reaching new highs (or lows, depending on how you look at it) as the construction booms continues apace: There were 31 construction-related deaths in 2006, the most in five years and twice as many as in 2000. One of the problems, notes The Daily News, is the large number of off-the-books workers, who developers can get away with paying a fraction of the prevailing wage. And because these workers have little recourse against their employers, safety conditions tend to be much worse than for documented workers. DOB is trying to play catch up by adding another 34 inspectors this year to its 350-person force, but with construction permits continuing to grow, it’s hard to believe this will have any meaningful impact. In addition to emperiling the lives of the largely immigrant workforce, the Fiscal Policy Institute, a New York-based research group, estimates that the government is losing out on about $85 million in payroll and income taxes a year.
Danger & Ripoffs Are On the Rise [NY Daily News]
Fatal Gaps in the Safety System [NY Daily News]
Photo by Sarah Goldsmith