In hopes of avoiding further construction site accidents, New York City has finally taken action as members of the City Council met recently to pass new construction and building code legislation. The meeting came soon after two construction site cranes failed, tragically taking nine lives and causing extensive damages to nearby buildings.  At the conclusion of the council’s meeting three main bills emerged. The first new bill requires that work sites be kept "clean," meaning free of loose materials and various tripping hazards.  The second bill mandates that buildings which were recently affected by a fire or any other structurally debilitating circumstance be inspected by a certified engineer each year in order to assure that the building is in solid condition.  The last approved piece of legislation entails that retaining walls must be examined every five years to guarantee that the walls are secure, functional and do not pose a risk to neighboring properties.

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20080728/203/2593