Best Practices in High-Rise Construction

Tom ConnorsApril 23, 2012 – Times Square Marriott Marquis

The NYC Department of Buildings is a registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/ CES). Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both members and non‐AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or constructed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. 

Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

This presentation is protected by US and International Copyright laws.  Reproduction, distribution, display and use of the presentation without written permission of the speaker is prohibited.

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Copyright Materials

Course Description

This course will give an overview of safe construction in New York City, which is regulated by the 2008 NYC Construction Codes to ensure that regulations remain up‐to‐date with evolving safe practices. The Department of Buildings is at the forefront of approving new materials and technology, enabling it to advance safe practices through education and specialized on‐site inspections with ownership and contractors.

Electronic visual examples will provide an understanding for the best and worst practices found on construction sites across the City. This presentation will allow participants to incorporate best practices in future projects – while better enabling them to identify and mitigate risks that could pose safety threats to the public. 

Learning Objectives

At the end of this program, participants will have learned:

• The provisions for construction high‐rise site safety from Chapter 33 of the 2008 NYC Building Code

• The best and new practices being used to protect the public during construction through the use of visual examples of state‐of‐the‐art cocoons and vertical protection technology

• How to identify processes that pose a potential risk to the public during construction and to mitigate overhead hazards in high‐rise site safety

• Proper demolition practices critical to conducting a safe high‐rise construction project

BEST Practices in High-Rise Construction

• Primary Strategies

• Alternative Strategies

• Demolition Strategies

• Major Projects Initiative

Major Building Projects Filings Progression

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

196

306368

600

758

Current Major Building Filing Types

140

22

398 17

New Buildings

Alt‐1 Conversions

Façade Repair

Demolitions

Primary Strategies for Safe High-Rise Construction

• Standpipes

• Sidewalk Sheds

• Jersey Barriers

• Vertical Netting

• Horizontal Netting

Standpipe Systems (3308.8.11)

• Alt‐2 Filing

• Dedicated Power Supply

• Check Valves

• Locks & Caps

• Manual Air Release

• Signage

• Audible Alarm Range:

• 15 dBa Above Ambient   

• Noise <110 dBa

Standpipe Systems

Air Gauge at Highest Point

Alarm Bell at Guardhouse  

• 300 lb. Live Load: Buildings > 100 ft• 150 lb. Live Load: Buildings < 100 ft

Sidewalk Shed Requirements

Lighting at 8 Feet

Sidewalk Shed = Overhead Protection for the Public (3307.3.1)

Lane Closure Utilizing Jersey Barriers

DOT Compliant

Lane Closure (3307.4.3)

Highly Visible Barriers = Safe Site

60” Code Compliant Vertical Netting (3308.1.1)

Supported Scaffold with FullHeight Debris Netting (3308.1)

HorizontalNetting(3308.1.2)

• Horizontal Netting   

• Interior Climbing Crane

• Work Platforms

Examples of Good Practices

Good and Bad Netting

Good

Bad

Ugly

Poor Scaffold Netting Maintenance

Alternative Strategies

• Full Height Vertical Netting

• Rigid Vertical Protection

• Static Horizontal Netting

• Partial Cocoon systems

• Full Cocoon systems

Full Height Vertical Perimeter Netting

Rigid Vertical Perimeter Protection

60” Rigid VerticalPerimeter Protection

Added Protection Afforded by Static Horizontal Netting

StaticHorizontal& VerticalSafetyNetting

Requirements for Cocoons

•Compliance with Buildings Bulletin # 2010‐019

•Alteration Type 2 Application

•CCD‐1 Submittal to Engineering and Safety

•Operations Division

•Review of Application 

Partial Cocoon

Cocoons of Solid Material

Full Cocoon with FullHeight Vertical Netting

Cocoons Loading Platform

Screen Cocoon with Full Height Netting

Conventional Top Deck

Full Cocoon Protection on Top Deck

Cocoon = Comfort & Safety

Cocoon Being Raised

Shear Wall Forming Behind a Cocoon

• Slab to Slab Vertical Nets

• Static Horizontal Nets

• Cocoon System

• Sidewalk Shed

Full Public Protection

Safe High-RiseConstruction=

A Long Life

Safe Demolitions ofMajor Buildings

Sidewalk Sheds

Steel & ConcreteDemolition

Full MechanicalDemolition

Dust Control (3306.9.3)

Common Interior Demolition Hazards

Unsafe Storage of Demolition Debris

Major Projects Initiative

• Education

• Communication

• Cooperation

• Innovation

• Technology

• Expectations

Benefits of the Major Projects Initiative

• Share Information

• DOB Point Person

• On Site Meetings

• Joint Inspections

• Address Challenges

Results of the Major Projects Initiative

0102030405060708090100

2009 2010 2011 2012

Amount of Full Stop Work Orders for Major Buildings

27 Current Participants

Contact Engineering & Safety Operations

Become a Partner in theMajor Projects Initiative

Questions?This concludes the American Institute of Architects 

Continuing Education Systems Course

NYC Department of BuildingsBuildings University AIA Point of Contact:

Allison Ginsburg allisongo@buildings.nyc.gov

212‐566‐4415