Construction Safety Week Kicks Off in New York City

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2026
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CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WEEK KICKS OFF IN NEW YORK CITY

Annual Buildings Construction Safety Report Released This Week Highlights Major Decline in Building Construction Related Injuries
New Training Requirement for Construction Workers Covers Mental Health and Wellness Topics

New York, NY - Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani helped kick of the beginning of National Construction Safety Week events in New York City by releasing the Department of Buildings' 2025 Construction Safety Report. National Construction Safety Week runs from May 4th to May 8th this year, and DOB will be joining construction workers across the city to participate in work site safety demonstrations and talk about required safeguards that help prevent injuries on the job. The annual agency report released today offers a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of construction-related incidents over the past year in New York City, showing how robust enforcement of the city's safety codes has led to a major reduction in worker injuries in recent years. This Construction Safety Week, the Department is also implementing new mental health training requirements for workers on larger work sites.

The findings in this new construction safety report offer an important snapshot of construction safety in New York City in calendar year 2025. During this time, construction-related injuries dropped to the lowest level recorded in recent history. At the same time, the city saw an increase in building construction-related fatalities compared to recent years, underscoring the urgent need for continued oversight and educational outreach on work sites across the city. In recent years, DOB has worked to increase our proactive inspection protocols to help catch safety issues before an incident occurs. Thanks to new initiatives at the department, now over 30% of the agency's enforcement inspections are proactive, with inspectors being sent to a location before a complaint is made or an injury reported. To reinforce best practices and address ongoing challenges identified in the report, Department staff will conduct additional educational outreach at construction sites across the city throughout Construction Safety Week.

"Every worker who helps build or maintain New York City should come home safely at night," said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. "This Construction Safety Week, our administration will be across the city, ensuring that work sites are safe and following required training protocols, and furthering our efforts to drive down injuries. Workers' rights and dignity start with their safety."

"The New Yorkers who build our homes and workplaces must be safe at their work sites. I'm grateful to the DOB team, safety trainers, and workers themselves for ensuring that every construction site is safe and following safe construction practices," said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. "While we've made important progress, there is always more to do to protect workers on and off the job."

"Our city must be safe for those who live in it, those who visit it, and most importantly, those who build it," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. "Safety for our construction workers requires an all-hands approach to outreach that improves every year. This year, I'm glad to see safety training expand to include support for our workers' mental health and well-being. Building the best city to call home begins with taking care of the workers who will construct it."

"Every construction worker in New York City deserves to make it home - and the 33 percent drop in injuries shows what's possible when strong enforcement meets a serious industry partner. Adding mental health and wellness to required worker training reflects a simple truth: protecting workers means protecting the whole person, on the job and after they clock out," said Julie Su, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice.

"Working closely with our industry partners, we are continuing to see important progress in making our building construction work sites safer," said Commissioner Tigani. "For Construction Safety Week this year, we are not only engaging directly with workers, safety professionals, and owners on best practices for job site safety, but also highlighting new mental wellness training initiatives. Besides protecting the wellbeing of our colleagues, safer work sites help sustain the increased pace of development needed to expand access to housing, food access, and healthcare, which are key priorities in advancing Mayor Mamdani's affordability agenda. That is why it is essential that we work together to support industry members both on the job and when they return home at the end of the day."

Read the 2025 Construction Safety Report

In 2025, DOB saw a significant 33 percent drop in reported building construction related injuries at work sites under DOB's jurisdiction. Preliminary data for the first quarter of 2026 shows that the city is continuing to make progress on this front, with a continued decline in injuries compared to the same period of time in 2025. The 2025 report also highlights ongoing challenges, including an uptick in building construction related fatalities in 2025, when compared to previous years. Preliminary data for the first quarter of 2026 shows that fatalities are down 75% compared to the same period of time in 2025. Any injury or loss of life is unacceptable, and the city remains committed to driving those numbers down to as close to zero as possible.

Coinciding with Construction Safety Week, the Department is also implementing new policies focused on supporting mental health initiatives. Data from our partners at the city's Health Department at OSHA have consistently shown that potentially fatal mental health and substance abuse issues impact the construction industry at a high rate. While suicides and overdose deaths are not tracked by DOB and are not included in the annual Construction Safety Report, these deaths are no less devastating to our communities. DOB's annual report focuses on the incidents, injuries and fatalities that are the result of construction-related activities on building construction work sites within the five boroughs.

Starting this week, workers looking to obtain a new Site Safety Training (SST) identification card, which indicates the successful completion of 40 hours of required construction safety training to work on New York City's larger and more complex work sites, will take a course on mental health and wellness as part of the larger training curriculum. The new course will cover topics on mental health and wellness, suicide risk and prevention, as well as alcohol and substance misuse. The department's SST program is the largest and most comprehensive municipal level construction worker training program in the country, with over 450,000 unique individuals currently holding an active SST card. In total those individuals have combined taken more than 18 million hours of construction safety courses. Since the program debuted in 2017, the city has seen reported worker injuries cut by more than half.

To help spread awareness of the report and reinforce critical safety practices during Construction Safety Week, agency staff will be fanning out to construction sites across the city to participate in safety presentations, work site "toolbox talks," and OSHA "stand-down" events. DOB staff will talk directly with workers and contractors to emphasize best site safety practices and ways to avoid injuries. During these events, agency staff will look to reinforce the "All in Together" message of National Construction Safety Week, while sending the message that every building construction related injury is preventable.

"Housing must be safe for the New Yorkers who live in it and for the workers who build it," said NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development Commissioner Dina Levy. "We commend DOB on their continued efforts to prevent construction injuries and deaths, and the numbers show that their efforts are working, with incidents down by more than 50% over the last decade. We look forward to working further with our partners in construction, labor, and government to ensure New York's construction sites are the safest in the world."

"We work hard each and every day to limit on-site accidents across the City," said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa. "Every project at DDC requires the approval of a detailed and unique safety plan before it can begin, and our Division of Safety and Site Support conducted 3,156 site audits and inspections last year. We commend the Department of Buildings for hosting Construction Safety Week to highlight the best tools to prevent injuries on the job."

"National Construction Safety Week is a perfect time to underscore that there is no substitute for following New York City's Construction Codes, which support and promote safety for workers and all New Yorkers," said NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata. "DOI and DOB have worked together on many investigations, exposing misconduct that has undermined safety in this City and demonstrating there is zero tolerance for such wrongdoing."

"Our city is built by immigrants, past, present, and future, who deserve safe working conditions," said Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Faiza N. Ali. "We are committed to making sure every worker, regardless of immigration status, has access to the safety resources, legal protections, and language support they need to stay safe on the job. A safer and stronger City depends on protecting all workers and our administration has made clear this commitment of support for those most vulnerable."

"The tradesmen and laborers who are building up our communities in Queens and across the city deserve to do that critical work safely," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "During Construction Safety Week and every week thereafter, we are proud to support and amplify the DOB's efforts to promote safe workplace practices and ensure everyone in the construction field can return home safely to their families after a long day's work."

"Manhattan can't function without our construction workers, and it's essential we keep them safe," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "I'm glad Commissioner Tigani and the Department of Buildings are kicking off National Construction Safety Week strong, via a litany of on-site safety demonstrations and the release of their Annual Building Construction Safety Report. Together, we will build on a 10-year low in building construction related injuries, and create safer worksites for builders, contractors, and communities alike."

"The Building Trades Employers' Association is proud to support the Department of Buildings' site safety demonstrations for National Construction Safety Week and to encourage a strong safety culture, ensuring that best industry practices are upheld at every level," said Elizabeth Crowley, President and CEO, Building Trades Employers' Association (BTEA). "Our union contractors hold themselves to the highest safety standards-and are grateful for the Department of Buildings' collaborative approach to safety education."

"While it is encouraging to see that construction-related injuries hit a 10-year low in 2025, the unfortunate increase in fatalities still underscores the need to prioritize comprehensive safety measures across all job sites in New York City, including trainings, protocol, enforcement, and mental health awareness and support networks," said Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. "It is well-known that construction work is inherently dangers, this is why the Building Trades remains committed to collaborating with our partners to do what we can to ensure that every hardworking tradesman and tradeswoman returns home to their families safe and sound at the end of each shift."

"The progress reflected in this year's report shows what's possible when workers, contractors, owners, and the City are aligned in delivering projects for New Yorkers," said REBNY President James Whelan. "Continued investment in safety training and education is essential for New York to continue building at scale, and with confidence."

"We are grateful to the NYC Department of Buildings and Commissioner Tigani for their leadership in driving down construction injuries to historic lows. Investments in training and enforcement are making a real difference on job sites across the city, and Worker's Justice Project has been proud to partner in that work with the DOB for the past five years - delivering construction safety training to over 4,000 workers in that period," said Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director of Worker's Justice Project. "At the same time, the persistence of fatal incidents is a stark reminder that too many workers are still being put in harm's way. These tragedies are often preventable and frequently linked to unsafe practices by unscrupulous employers and subcontractors who cut corners to save time and money. We commend the NYC DOB for launching this critical Construction Safety Week initiative. This is a significant opportunity to double down on what works - strong standards, high-quality training, and real accountability - so that every worker is protected against injury and makes it home safely at the end of the day."

"New York City is setting the standard for construction safety, with worker injuries now at a 10-year low," said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., President & CEO, New York Building Congress. "But even one fatality is one too many, and we must keep pushing forward by strengthening enforcement, expanding education, and prioritizing mental health and wellness on every job site. The Building Congress and our members are proud to partner with the Department of Buildings to keep workers safe and continue building a stronger, safer industry. We are also proud to support, through funding from the Building Foundation, the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York's 'Building Trades Peer Support Network,' to shine a light on the need for more mental health awareness across our industry."

"Across the nation and around the world, construction safety and the safety of the built environment is the forefront of the International Code Council's (ICC) Mission," said Dottie M. Mazzarella, Vice President of Government Relations at the International Code Council. "The ICC has been honored to partner with the city of New York for the past twenty years on promoting building and construction safety through its adoption of the International Codes and most recently its historic adoption the Existing Building Code."

"Construction Safety Week reflects real progress in reducing injuries, but every incident reminds us that safety must evolve," said Amy Blankenbiller, Executive Director of the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII). "Thank you to Commissioner Tigani and NYC Buildings for acknowledging the integration of mental health awareness into the daily job hazard analyses, to strengthen not only physical protections, but the overall wellbeing and readiness of every worker on site."

"This reduction didn't happen by chance. New York City's construction industry has made significant progress on safety because our members have been actively engaged with the Department of Buildings from committee level engagement to on-the-ground implementation," said Brian Sampson, President, Empire State Chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors. "The 10-year low reflects a decade of sustained effort and shows that when the industry is at the table and policy is done right, you get real results. But safety doesn't stop at the physical jobsite. We also need to be just as focused on mental health and supporting the whole person to ensure workers can perform at their best."

"Construction is an inherently dangerous business, and DOB's commitment to safe jobsites, continuous training, and code enforcement is essential to keeping our hard-working men and women safe," said Mike Elmendorf, President & CEO, Associated General Contractors NYS (AGC NYS). "Equally important is mental health awareness-regardless of age, gender, or background, everyone faces stress or mental health challenges, and understanding the symptoms and available resources is critical to worker safety. AGC NYS members are committed to safety in everything we do, leveraging the latest technology, training, and management tools to address the unique hazards of New York City jobsites-from high elevations to crowded streets. We applaud NYC DOB's initiative to uphold this high standard and appreciate the collaboration with all industry partners in returning every worker home safely."

"The New York State Society of Professional Engineers continues to support Commissioner Tigani and the Department of Buildings in its efforts in continuing to improve construction safety in New York City," said John Sucharski, PE, President of New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE). "As Professional Engineers we are charged with protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. We applaud the efforts and success that the department has had over the years. We look forward to continuing to work with department in reducing construction related accidents throughout the city."

"Construction is critical to the economic growth of New York City and New York State, but everyone deserves to come home to their families at the end of their shift," said John T. Evers, PhD., President and CEO, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC New York). "That's why Construction Safety Week is so important because it serves as an annual reminder of the need for safe construction practices, and we applaud Commissioner Tigani and the Department of Buildings for their diligent efforts to improve safety on job sites citywide. As the voice of New York's engineering community, our member firms are dedicated to safe and lawful development, and we are honored to partner with the Department to expand training, enhance safety regulations and better protect the workforces of today - and tomorrow."

"Safe and lawful construction means a safer city, and as the unified voice of New York's plumbing industry, we applaud the critical efforts by the Department of Buildings to improve training practices, enhance worker education and increase enforcement at job sites citywide," said April McIver, Executive Director, Plumbing Foundation City of New York. "Construction Safety Week is an important reminder that this work is inherently dangerous and must be performed by licensed and trained professionals in order to protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers. Our members are proud to partner with Commissioner Tigani and his team to promote safe construction practices that not only strengthen our local economy but improve the quality of life for everyone."

"New York City has the strictest construction regulations in the United States, but Construction Safety Week is a critical reminder that more can be done to reduce potential injury and highlight key regulations that better ensure the safety of construction workers while making sure projects are completed safely and on time," said Terence O'Brien, Executive Vice President, Association of Contracting Plumbers of the City of New York. "Our union-affiliated, licensed plumbing contractors require the highest level of safety training on every single project, and we commend Commissioner Tigani and the Department of Buildings for their steadfast commitment to increasing requirements for worker training, awareness, and education. Any unlicensed, unpermitted construction work puts the lives of New Yorkers at risk, and we must work together to expand oversight in order to create a safer environment for all who work, visit, and live in the greatest city in the world."

"Construction Safety Week is a critical reminder that safety must remain the top priority on every job site across New York City," said Veronika Sikorski, President of the NYC Special Riggers Association. "The NYC Special Riggers Association is proud to have worked closely on passage of the Construction Safety Act to help establish strong training standards across the industry. We must continue to invest in rigorous training, strong oversight, and a culture where every worker looks out for one another. We applaud DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani for expanding training requirements to include mental health and wellness, an important step forward in protecting both our workforce and the public."