Changes in Site Safety Plan Submissions, Construction Superintendent Job Limitations, Site Safety Release and Sidewalk Shed Removal Request Procedures
Image: Courtesy of Spring Scaffolding LLC
In its July 8, 2022* Service Notice, the NYC Buildings Department announced that as of July 15, 2022, site safety plans can be submitted in DOB NOW: Build before the job is approved.
Once the job is submitted, the plan examiner will review the site safety criteria that includes the building height, stories, footprint, and additional considerations for alteration and demolition. A banner will appear on the filing and an email will be sent to the stakeholders on the job indicating that the site safety criteria has been approved and that the site safety plans can be submitted. In addition, a separate site safety plan request is no longer required for subsequent filings.
Construction Superintendent Job Limitations
Local Law 149 of 2021 provides that, as of June 1, 2022, an individual may not be
designated as the primary construction superintendent (CS) for more than five jobs. This is a change from the previous limitation of ten jobs. Construction superintendents who are designated on more than five active jobs can request to be withdrawn from the job, the permit applicant can renew the permit with change to issue the permit with a different CS, or a request can be submitted to release the site safety requirements from the job, which will also release the construction superintendent.
Withdraw a Construction Superintendent from a Job
For BIS jobs, the construction superintendent can request to be withdrawn from a permit by submitting a signed letter of intent to withdraw to the Borough Commissioner’s Office. For DOB NOW jobs, the construction superintendent can submit a Withdrawal Letter to the help form at www.nyc.gov/dobhelp. The permit status will be changed to On Hold until the permit is renewed with a new construction superintendent.
Change the Construction Superintendent on a Permit
For BIS jobs, the permit applicant renews the permit with change by dropping off a PW2 at the Borough Office. Permit renewals with change cannot be processed in eFiling. For DOB NOW jobs, the permit applicant renews the permits with change in DOB NOW.
A site safety release and sidewalk shed removal can be requested in DOB NOW: Build. From the dashboard, select +Requests and Site Safety. Select Site Safety Release and Sidewalk Shed Removal and then the appropriate request type.
Site Safety Release and Sidewalk Shed Removal
For both BIS and DOB NOW jobs, any user associated to the job can request site safety release and sidewalk shed removal in DOB NOW: Build. From the dashboard, select +Requests and Site Safety.
Select Site Safety Release and Sidewalk Shed Removal and then the appropriate request type.
To request Sidewalk Shed Removal, provide a DOB NOW Sidewalk Shed (SH) job number and indicate whether it is a request for full or partial removal. After the Sidewalk Shed Removal request is submitted in DOB NOW, the Construction Safety Compliance Unit will schedule an inspection and once the inspection is in Pass/Final status, the Sidewalk Shed Removal request will be approved in DOB NOW: Build and the sidewalk shed can be removed from the site.
Construction Superintendent Release
To release a Construction Superintendent, an authorization letter and photographs are required to be uploaded in the Documents section. The authorization letter can be signed by one of the following:
• Applicant of Record of the specific job filing
• Progress Inspector identified on the Technical Report-Final associated to the job
• Permit Holder if the licensee is a Registered General Contractor including 1/2/3 family homes
• Construction Superintendent associated to the specific permit
Submit the Site Safety Release request in DOB NOW and once it is approved by the Construction Safety Compliance Unit, the site safety requirement will be removed from the job and the job Construction Superintendent will no longer be designated on the job.
Site Safety Coordinator or Site Safety Manager Release
To release a Site Safety Coordinator or Site Safety Manager, submit the Site Safety Release request in DOB NOW. The Construction Safety Compliance Unit will schedule an inspection and once the inspection is in Pass/Final status, the site safety requirement will be removed from the job and the request will be approved in DOB NOW. If the permit is renewed, a Site Safety Coordinator or Site Safety Manager will not be required.
A request to release site safety (site safety coordinator or manager) and the sidewalk shed at the same time requires full (not partial) removal of the sidewalk shed and the SH filing must be associated with the same BIN. For assistance, submit an inquiry here.
* This Service Notice replaces the temporary process outlined in the Department of Buildings April 2022 Service Notice.