Boston City Council holds hearing on first-of-its-kind construction safety ordinance

BOSTON — May 19, 2023 — Boston City Council hears testimony on proposed construction safety ordinance requiring site safety plans for all permits. Mayor Michelle Wu's administration presented the ordinance at a May 19 hearing before Council President Edward M. Flynn, Councilor Erin J. Murphy, and Chair Ricardo Arroyo, all of whom voiced support. The measure would require a Site Safety Plan Affidavit for all construction and demolition permits — the Inspectional Services Department issues 35,000 to 40,000 per year — and mandate a dedicated Site Safety Coordinator with 30-hour OSHA certification for projects over 50,000 square feet or four stories. Lou Mandarini, Senior Advisor for Labor Policy to Mayor Wu, noted wage theft is not covered by the ordinance due to state preemption constraints, though Arroyo said the council plans to take up a separate wage theft measure. Sharon Green of the Boston Building Trades Unions, which represents 35,000 union construction workers and invests more than $50 million annually in safety and training programs, testified in support, as did representatives of MASSCOSH, the Greater Boston Labor Council, and veteran construction worker Jean Battaglia, who cited the U.S. construction industry's annual loss of more than $11.3 billion to serious non-fatal injuries.