Safety

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has announced an important safety upgrade for sidewalk sheds. Under Local Law 47 of 2025 (LL47) , which took effect on August 15, 2025, sidewalk sheds must now meet higher lighting standards to improve pedestrian safety and visibility across the city’s streets. PHOTO: GUY/STOCK.ADOBE.COM According to the new regulation, sidewalk sheds with construction documents submitted on or after August 15, 2025 must provide a minimum illum

Inside New York’s Fight Against Scaffold Law Fraud By Andriana Vamvakas, CFE President, Andromeda Advantage "The first time the pattern stopped feeling like coincidence I knew that something larger was at work." After 34 years as a federal investigator I followed paper trails, exposed networks, and helped secure indictments and convictions in fraud cases that involved millions of dollars. As a certified fraud examiner, I have been trained to trust patterns and to remain a nat

Local Law 47 of 2025 (LL47) , effective August 15, 2025, raises the required minimum clear ceiling height for new sidewalk sheds from 8 feet to 12 feet. The change applies to all sidewalk shed construction documents submitted on or after August 15. Existing sheds do not need to be modified. The higher clearance aims to improve visibility, accessibility, and the overall pedestrian experience while maintaining safety during construction and façade work. The law allows flexibili

The NYC Department of Buildings has introduced expanded color options for sidewalk sheds and solid construction or demolition fences under Local Law 47 of 2025 (LL47) , effective August 15, 2025. Previously, these protective structures were required to be hunter green, with limited allowances for white. PHOTO: SPRING SCAFFOLDING Local Law 47 now authorizes three standard colors—hunter green, metallic gray, and white—for all sidewalk sheds and fences. For existing buildings (

Legislation sponsored by Council Member Keith Powers, directs the DOB to recommend new sidewalk shed designs by September 30, 2025. Council Member Keith Powers during a press conference on taking down sidewalk sheds. — Photo: William Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit In a significant move to reshape New York City’s streetscapes and address long-standing safety concerns, on March 26, 2025 the City Council passed a sweeping package of legislation aimed at reforming sidewalk she