Mayor Michael Bloomberg is touting changes to New York City's building safety codes as the reason behind an 18-percent drop in construction accidents in 2011. According to statistics quoted by the mayor, New York construction accidents fell from 157 in 2010 to 128 in 2011.

The mayor told reporters, including those of his company's news outlet, Bloomberg News, that construction activity is on the rise in the Big Apple, so the reduction in workplace injuries and deaths is especially significant.

Two F.D.N.Y. firefighters were killed in a fire that broke out during the demolition of a building in Lower Manhattan in 2007. And a triple tragedy occurred in 2008 when three construction workers were killed in two crane accidents within months. After that, the City began sweeping reforms to improve workplace safety at construction sites.

The mayor cited some examples of over two dozen new laws and rules such as a prohibition on smoking at worksites to prevent fires and the use of "cocoons" overhead to catch falling materials and tools before they injure or kill workers below. Other examples include regularly testing sprinkler systems and enhanced training requirements for tower crane operators.

According to WNYC, the mayor noted several factors that brought about the sharp decline in construction accidents and deaths including greater worksite inspection and enforcement, better communication with developers and a willingness by builders to comply with the changes. Building Department officials issued stop-work orders for rule violations at a pace of almost 100 per week in 2011.

Sources:
Bloomberg News, "New York City Building-Safety Laws Cut Accidents 18%, Mayor Bloomberg Says," Henry Goldman, Jan. 23, 2012
Ny1.com, "Bloomberg Praises New Laws For Local Construction Safety," Grace Rauh, Jan. 23, 2012