The New York City Council has passed several new legislative measures in response to the rise of various large scale construction and demolition projects within the city. The new measures aim to increase the safety and welfare of both construction crews and the general public by more closely regulating commercial renovations, demolitions, and asbestos abatement projects.
One element of the new law will prevent contractors from carrying out both demolition and asbestos abatement projects simultaneously in the same building. Performing asbestos abatement and demolition in the same building drastically reduces workplace safety in several ways. First, while asbestos abatement crews are fitted with the proper equipment to ensure their safety while handling and transporting asbestos, demolition crews often are not – which puts them at risk if they are working in the same area. In addition to the increased risk of asbestos exposure for demolition crews, the amount of equipment and debris present if both operations are performed at the same time can create a serious fire hazard by making it difficult to get in and out of the building.
The same body of laws will also help contractors obtain the necessary permits for asbestos disposal and abatement, granted they are able to pass rigorous tests which will ensure their competence in regards to handling the dangerous substance carefully. Stricter regulations concerning the handling and disposal of asbestos containing products and construction materials will help to keep abatement crews as safe as possible.
With the establishment of more exhaustive regulations governing the execution of renovation or demolition of asbestos containing buildings, efficient cooperation between contractors will become an important part of future construction projects. As such, the new legislation will also require that the various contractors involved in demolition and asbestos abatement projects establish and maintain effective communication to ensure that the new requirements for the processes are met.
Another of the new laws will prohibit the the use of cigarette lighters, matches, or other open flames on the same floor of a building where asbestos abatement is taking place. The law will forbid cigarette smoking on the same floors, which will no only help to reduce potential fire hazards, but will also help to further protect the health of construction crews. Studies show that cigarette smokers are nearly one thousand times more likely to develop mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos, than their non-smoking counterparts.
