Stop-work orders: New guide from NYC Department of Buildings

New York — A new guidance document from the New York City Department of Buildings is intended to provide local construction employers and workers with insight on why a stop-work order may be issued at a worksite.

“Issuing a stop-work order on a construction site is never something DOB inspectors do on a whim,” the department says. “These orders to immediately halt construction activity are issued to protect New Yorkers whenever we find dangerous conditions on a worksite that are posing a hazard to workers or the public. Our inspectors are trained to follow specific criteria when considering stopping the work at a site.”

The guide features a description of the conditions for a stop-work order, section(s) of applicable laws, and whether a partial or full stop-worker order is required.

All work must stop, DOB emphasizes, when an adjoining property is “significantly damaged,” when a worker or member of the public is injured, or when material/debris falls outside property lines and onto a public area.