New York – New York City has failed to implement dozens of recommendations on crane and worksite safety issued more than five years ago, according to an audit released by the city’s comptroller hours just hours after a deadly crane collapse in lower Manhattan on Friday.
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The audit by the Office of New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer examined whether the Department of Buildings had implemented reforms recommended in a $5.8 million study the department had commissioned to improve construction site safety.
The recommendations included requiring crane owners to maintain records on their equipment and require more stringent oversight during important stages of crane assembly.
“Crane safety is a crisis, but the City has not treated it like one,” Stringer said in a statement.
A representative for the New York City Department of Buildings could not be reached immediately for comment.
The audit, an update of a study first conducted in 2014, found that only eight out 65 safety recommendations had been fully implemented. The update was conducted in November.
The updated audit was released after a construction crane toppled over during a snowstorm in lower Manhattan, killing one person and crushing a line of parked cars.
Stringer’s office would not say whether the report had been due to be released on Friday or whether it decided to issue it because of the crane collapse during the morning rush hour.