Bloomberg's Latest Crusade: Construction Safety

[Prompted by this year’s dramatic rise in the number of construction site deaths], Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed yesterday to improve safety conditions for those who work on suspended scaffolding. Good idea, and it only took an entire (http://nypress.com/19/48/news&columns/feature.cfm)task force to make that leap of logic. [The mayor has allocated $6 million to ensure that builders comply with the new suspended scaffolding laws](http://www.nysun.com/article/48299) he is proposing, and that construction workers have access to training. Bloomberg noted that the 29 construction site deaths in 2006 represented a 40 percent increase from 2005. He suggests the City Council triple fines for violations, require that contractors notify the city when using a device known as a C-hook to hold up scaffolding and mandate that a trained supervisor inspect the site and record findings in a daily log. First offense fines could increase from $500 to $1,500; fines for repeat violations could go as high as $15,000, they currently max out at $10,000. The city is using $4 million of the total $6 million to create a super special Scaffolding Safety Unit. We are not at liberty to reveal anymore.