City sets scaffolding law.

Local Law 52 of 2005 regarding workers on supported scaffolds goes into effect on November 19, 2006. To ensure safe and compliant construction throughout the five boroughs, the Department of Buildings will require the following as of Monday, November 20, 2006:

Permit requirement for supported scaffolds:

Drawings must be submitted by a licensed professional for any supported scaffold that is 40 feet or more in height;

A permit is required for any supported scaffold that is 40 feet or more in height;

Site inspections will begin Monday, November 20 and violations will be issued if the supported scaffold does not have the required permit;

Training requirement for installing or dismantling supported scaffolds;

No individual may erect, dismantle, repair, maintain or modify a supported scaffold that is 40 feet or more in height, or knowingly permit or cause an individual to do so without a supported scaffold certificate of completion;

A certificate of completion can only be obtained from a provider of a 32-hour training program or course regarding scaffold safety that has been reviewed by the Department of Buildings;

If the 32-hour training course or program was completed more than 2 years ago, an 8-hour scaffold safety and training refresher program or course is required;

The certificate must be readily available to Department personnel upon requestTraining requirement for users of supported scaffolds;

No individual may use a supported scaffold without a scaffold user certificate;

A user certificate must be obtained from a provider of a four-hour training course reviewed by the Department of Buildings. The certificate must be readily available to Department personnel upon request.

The above requirements do not apply to erecting, dismantling, repairing, maintaining or modifying:

Any supported scaffold where the work is done by employees of a public utility company or where the scaffold is located inside a building or structure owned or operated by the utility and the utility has a safety program for employees who install, take down, repair, maintain or modify supported scaffolds;

Use of a supported scaffold by employees of a public utility if the employees are trained to recognize and control any hazards related to the scaffolds;

Stand-alone, one-story sidewalk sheds. The Department has reviewed the following providers and found them in keeping with the intent of the law: Total Safety Consultants, American Safety, Homeland Safety, Inc., and Tri State Safety.