Resources for the Construction Industry
With new information being released every day regarding COVID-19, our team at Building Skills NY understands that this is a challenging and uncertain time for the industry. As the City announces new economic relief programs and grants for small businesses along with additional information, here’s what may be relevant to you:
- NEW! As of April 6th, 2020, the Department of Buildings has released a new new interactive map tool that identifies construction sites that are considered emergency or essential work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore allowed to continue working. View the map here: https://rew-online.com/dob-releases-real-time-map-of-essential-construction-sites/
- Added 3/27/2020: NYC Employee Retention Grant Program: The City is offering small businesses with fewer than 5 employees a grant to cover 40% of payroll costs for two months to help retain employees. Learn more here.
- Added 3/27/2020: NYC Small Business Continuity Loan Fund: Businesses with fewer than 100 employees who have seen sales decreases of 25% or more will be eligible to apply for zero interest loans of up to $75,000 to help ensure business continuity. Learn more here.
- Added 3/27/2020: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program: Small business owners in New York are currently eligible to apply for a low-interest loan due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Learn more here.
- Added 3/27/2020: Additionally, the New York Department of Finance has issued specific guidelines on business tax filing extensions, that can be found here.
The Building Skills team is continuing to closely monitor the City’s response and will provide additional pertinent information as it becomes available.
March 19th, 2020
Building Skills NY COVID-19 Response
With new information being released every day regarding COVID-19, we understand you may be worried about having access to a stable workforce on your job sites over the coming weeks. Building Skills continues to maintain operations and is here to assist with your hiring needs. Our large network of workers across the five boroughs are ready to work – many of whom live close to your sites. Connecting you with close by workers will eliminate the worry of having workers travel/commute via public transportation. If you need anything, please let me know.
Thanks,
Glenn Hilzen
Business Services Manager
Building Skills NY
Cell: 914-863-1532
ghilzen@buildingskillsny.org
- General laborers
- Plumber helpers
- Electrician helpers
- Mason helpers
- Carpenter helpers
- Skilled laborers
- And many more
Who We Are
Building Skills New York (BSNY) is a not-for-profit organization that helps New Yorkers find construction jobs across New York City. Building Skills NY has made over 600 job placements in the construction sector within the past few years and understands the needs of construction employers.
Safety Responsibilities for Subcontractors
February 25th, 2020
Safety Responsibilities for Subcontractors
As a subcontractor, it’s important you are highly aware of safety practices on multi-employer sites. If you are hired for specialized work on a large project, make sure you are knowledgeable of OSHA’s policies for remaining safe and avoiding citations.
OSHA’s Multi-Employer Citation Policy
On job sites with numerous contractors and subcontractors, any safety violations can cause the employer to be cited. In fact, OSHA regularly cites numerous employers for a singular incident or violation on a multi-employer cite. Therefore, it’s imperative that all of the work you and your employees do follows OSHA standards. You certainly do not want to be the reason that your employer gets a citation or fine.
Read the Fine Print
When you are hired for a project, you’ll likely have to fill out a lot of paperwork, including a safety agreement. This document should lay out clear safety expectations of the worksite as they relate to subcontractors. Review the entire document, and make sure to ask the general contractor if you have any questions before you sign on the dotted line.
Your Employees are Your Responsibility
You always have the responsibility of protecting your own employees. As a subcontractor, it can reflect poorly on you if your workers are missing safety certifications or not using up to code practices. Contractors can receive several fines for hiring workers who are not certified, or not keeping a log of workers who are. Make sure to keep thorough records of your workers and openly communicate with your general contractor on their status.
Need Workers?
Do you need construction workers? Call our Business Services Manager, Glenn Hilzen, to discuss your hiring needs. Our pool of workers are OSHA-certified and carefully screened. We only refer qualified candidates that we believe will be a good fit for your job opportunity. We also offer ongoing retention services for workers to remain reliable and successful in their job placement.
Business Services Manager – Glenn Hilzen
Cell phone: 914-863-1532
ghilzen@buildingskillsny.org
- General laborers
- Plumber helpers
- Electrician helpers
- Mason helpers
- Carpenter helpers
- Skilled laborers
- And many more
Who We Are
Building Skills New York (BSNY) is a not-for-profit organization that helps New Yorkers find construction jobs across New York City. Building Skills NY has made over 600 job placements in the construction sector within the past few years and understands the needs of construction employers.
November 20th, 2019
NYC’s Local Law 196 December 1st Deadline: What Subcontractors Need to Know
New York City’s Local Law 196 deadline is fast-approaching. After December 1, having an up-to-date OSHA 30 certification will no longer be optional. Like all NYC construction workers, subcontractors need to make sure they are squared away on the requirements—both for themselves and their workers. Here are a few subcontractor-specific reminders:
Are Your Workers Certified?
Now that the deadline is less than a month away, you need to be aware of who of your workers has their OSHA 30 and who does not. As a subcontractor, it can reflect poorly on you if your workers are missing their certification. Have the discussion with your workers now, rather than putting it off until after December 1 and risking a citation or fine. For workers who are struggling to achieve their required certification, Building Skills can help connect them with training opportunities and get them up-to-speed.
Communicate with Your Contractor
Open and transparent communication is key to gaining general contractors’ trust. As the deadline nears, let your general contractor know your workers’ status. Contractors can receive several fines for hiring workers who are not certified, or not keeping a log of workers who are. Having open communication with the contractor about the certification of your workers will make you look prepared and professional. Additionally, subcontractors who can report that they have 100 percent of their workers certified are far more likely to be hired for new projects.
Consequences of Missing the Deadline
Subcontractors should not allow any of their workers without Site Safety Training to enter the jobsite after December 1. The Department of Buildings conducts random searches on job sites and expensive penalties will be issued to site owners, permit holders, and the employer of the untrained workers. Penalties as high as $5,000 will be issued for each untrained worker that is on the jobsite.
Need Workers?
Do you need construction workers? Call our Business Services Manager, Glenn Hilzen, to discuss your hiring needs. Our pool of workers are OSHA-certified and carefully screened. We only refer qualified candidates that we believe will be a good fit for your job opportunity. We also offer ongoing retention services for workers to remain reliable and successful in their job placement.
Business Services Manager – Glenn Hilzen
Cell phone: 914-863-1532
ghilzen@buildingskillsny.org
- General laborers
- Plumber helpers
- Electrician helpers
- Mason helpers
- Carpenter helpers
- Skilled laborers
- And many more
Who We Are
Building Skills New York (BSNY) is a not-for-profit organization that helps New Yorkers find construction jobs across New York City. Building Skills NY has made over 600 job placements in the construction sector within the past few years and understands the needs of construction employers.