New York City Department Of Buildings Licensing Unit

New York Law Requires That Contractors Take Precautions Against Fire with Specific Steps

<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

According to the United States Fire Administration (“USFA”), in 2005 there were 10 fire deaths per million people in New York State. Last year, fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined. (Source; USFA: Fire Statistics 2007). The New York City Fire Department reports that the five boroughs of New York City had over 28,000 fires last year.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the vast majority of fire deaths occurred in residences.

Although there are many causes of home fires, this article will discuss fire prevention in the home during renovation and/or repair by contractors. In the ordinary course of work, construction companies routinely use open flame, heat, and other sources of combustion that put buildings at risk for fire. For example, metal gutters require welding. Roofing materials are often heated, and covered with applications of hot tar. Under certain circumstances, applications of solder or sparks from electrical equipment can ignite a building.

New York State, with a large population, many urban areas and a high concentration of residential buildings, has strict regulations governing this type of work. Section 26 of the Fire Code and Property Maintenance Code of New York State (“the Code”) is a comprehensive body of law with explicit, detailed mandates for the performance of what is known as “hot work.”

The Code defines “hot work” as operations including “cutting, welding…installation of torch-applied roof systems or any other similar situation.” Equipment used for “hot work” includes “electric or gas welding or cutting equipment.” A “hot work area” is “the area exposed to sparks, hot slag, radiant heat or convective heat as a result of the hot work.”

As a first matter, the Code directs that the hot work area be kept clear of scraps, debris and other combustible materials. Cans of flammable fluids, like paint solvents or even fuel for equipment, should be removed if heat or flame is to be used nearby.

Before commencing hot work, a “hot work check” or area inspection must be performed carefully. A contractor is to ensure that exposed surfaces in proximity to the hot work area are not combustible. If the surfaces are exposed and combustible, they must be shielded. For example, oak beams located just above a hot work area are to be covered with a fireproof material.

The installation of partitions to prevent the spread of heat, sparks or flame from a hot work area to the rest of the building are also required.

The contractor must have personnel available to conduct a “fire watch,” policing the hot work area and adjacent structures for the outbreak of flames. The Code is so strict on this point that a fire watch is required to continue “for a minimum of 30 minutes after the conclusion of the work.” Moreover, construction personnel are mandated to have fire extinguishing equipment available at all times and to have received training in its usage. Fire extinguishers must be kept within thirty feet of the hot work area.

Homeowners and landlords should keep these mandated practices in mind the next time contractors perform work on their properties. The safe performance of work involving flame, heat or sparks is not just a matter of common sense, it is the law. Make sure the contractors you hire are familiar with the Code. If you live in a city, there may be local fire ordinances and regulations as well. Always check to see that your contractor is licensed and insured, and has received the necessary permits to perform the work at issue. Taking these basic steps can ensure that the work at your home is done free of incident or property damage.

Always make sure, too, that you as a homeowner carry the appropriate property and casualty insurance coverage in the event that a contractor starts a fire. If you are injured in a fire as a result of the negligence of a contractor, you should consult with a <a href=”http://www.triallaw1.com>”>New York premises liability attorney</a> as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation for injuries and property damage.

About the Author

Adam Smith belong to a group of “>new york personal injury lawyers, new york city personal injury attorneys performing legal services for the people who are facing cases of personal injury, medical malpractices, construction accident injuries, premises and property cases, etc. He is always ready to raise his voice for perfect judgement and injury compensation for those who are suffering from of personal injury, medical malpractices, construction accident injuries, premises and property cases, etc. Writing articles about these legal cases is a step from him to spread awareness about how to win cases related to personal injury, medical malpractices, construction accident injuries, premises and property cases, etc. Internet is the best way to reach out people and thus he is writing articles here and sharing his experiences.

New York City 1959

New York City Zip Code Ranges

Subprime Loan Problems Hit Minorities Hard

The subprime market crash has affected minority neighborhoods all over the U.S. Why? The reason is because they were heavily targeted for risky high cost loans. With millions of Americans who are suffering from inflating mortgage payments due to adjustable rates, balloon payments and other unscrupulous sub-prime programs, many people are now in panic mode, having recently lost their homes or living in constant fear that their homes will be lost.

Boston-based United for a Fair Economy, which is an economic policy group for minorities released a study about subprime mortgage crisis. In a report called “State of the Dream 2008: Foreclosed” report, an evaluation of subprime lending during the past eight years, and a direct loss from defaulted subprime loans ranging between $365 billion and $605 billion is what is projected.

55 percent of the bad subprime loans are held by whites, while minorities hold the other 45 percent. Borrowers who are projected to lose between $71 billion and $122 billion are African-Americans, who account for about 20 percent of the total losses that are projected. Latinos are projected to lose $76 billion to $129 billion for the same period. This would total about 21 percent of the burden from the subprime defaults.

Rocco Basile, a product manager with Basile Builder’s Group said, “It is bad here in New York, and especially in places like Brooklyn with a higher number of minorities.”. “Our goal is to help answer questions and provide the community here with guidance and advice via seminars.”

According to a January 26, 2008 Bloomberg subprime article, the communities of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights in New York had a foreclosure rate of almost four times the national subprime figure of 6.89 percent in October of 2007. One ion four owners who had subprime mortgages in the 11233 zip code areas lost their homes. This was the highest number since March of 2003 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington. Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights is mostly black, there were 194 foreclosures out of 770 subprime borrowers, according to Federal data.

It appears that many of these minority families had credit scores that led them to predatory loans with extremely high interest. According to a 2006 study of 50,000 mortgages by the Center for Responsible Lending in Durham, North Carolina, blacks and Latinos are 30 percent more likely to be charged a higher rate for a home loan than whites with credit histories that are similar. What’s more, subprime loans were available to those borrowers with incomplete or bad credit and these loans carry higher interest rates than loans to people with good credit histories.

Sharp increases in subprime mortgage loan delinquencies and also the number of homes entering foreclosure raise important economic and social questions.

About the Author

Kristin Gabriel is an author and social media marketing professional with clients including Rocco Basile of the the Basile Builders Group based in New York. Basile is involved in charities including Children of the City and the Joe DiMaggio Committee for Xaverian High School. Visit his website at www.roccobasile.org.

lupe fiasco glory

1860 New York City Census Records

Last U.S. war veterans: Ordinary men in extraordinary times
When Frank Buckles died in February at his West Virginia home, his passing closed a chapter in the country’s history. He was the last American veteran of World War I, and his death drew the attention not only of friends and family but of historians, editorial writers, politicians and the president of the United States.
Cash instead of college? [NBC: 6-01-2011]

New York City Transportation Authority

Is this why unions are no longer useful?

Ok, no one has ever heard of a sneeze screen
excerpt…
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City bus drivers took an average of two paid months off last year after being spat upon by upset riders.

True unions are far more hurtful now a days than they are useful. There should be employment clauses as like with white collar jobs called employment at will, which means that they are free to fire you, or you are free to leave at whatever time you decide and pay commesurate with your performance. Union workers sometimes take advantage and abuse the system. However it is true that the US has low vacation days when compared to Europe, maybe with have to work on that.

NYC Subway in Bronx and Manhattan (elevated and underground)

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Replica Metal Die Cast Subway Car $16.99 Made of pre-painted die cast metal, miniature MTA 142A subway car includes authentic markings and decals, including subway route stickers so you can change the route designation! Comes permanently mounted on track bed with lamp post. 6.5″ long….

Perpetual Motion: The Illustrated History of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey $15.70 Illustrated with rare photos from the Port Authority’s extensive archives, this fully authorized coffee-table book is sure to appeal to everyone who wonders how New York became the city by which all others are measured. the cornerstone of the Port Authority’s 75th anniversary celebrations. 200 photos, some in color….

New York City Transit Buses 1945-1975 Photo Archive $20.98 New York City has one of the finest and largest transit systems in the country. Beginning with early horse-drawn omnibuses, followed by battery-operated streetcars and electric street railway systems, finally by 1947 most of New York converted to buses. After WWII bus manufacturers including General Motors and Mack developed modern, larger buses to the City of New York’s exclusive specifications. …

Transit Talk: New York’s Bus and Subway Workers Tell Their Stories $35.00 This testimony to working life illuminates the stories, adventures, and wisdom of New York transit workers. More than 100 transit workers were interviewed to discover just what goes on behind the scenes of public transportation. The challenges are legion: the danger of working next to high-voltage power lines in a system that operates 24 hours a day for 7 days a week; workers risking their ow…