Best Practices in High-Rise

Construction
Tom Connors
April 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.
 Copyright Materials
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.

©NYC Department of Buildings
 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
758
800
700 600
600
500 368
400 306

300 196
200
100
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Current Major Building Filing Types

398 17

New Buildings
Alt‐1 Conversions
Façade Repair
Demolitions
140

22
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  
Sidewalk Shed Requirements

• 300 lb. Live Load: Buildings > 100 ft
• 150 lb. Live Load: Buildings < 100 ft
Sidewalk Shed = Overhead
Protection for the Public
(3307.3.1)

Lighting at 8 Feet
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 Full
Height Debris Netting (3308.1)
Horizontal
Netting
(3308.1.2)
 Examples of Good Practices
• Horizontal Netting   

• Interior Climbing 
Crane

• Work Platforms
 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 Vertical
Perimeter Protection
Added Protection Afforded
by Static Horizontal Netting
Static
Horizontal
& Vertical
Safety
Netting
 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 Full
Height 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
 Full Public Protection
• Slab to Slab 
Vertical Nets

• Static Horizontal 
Nets

• Cocoon System

• Sidewalk Shed
Safe High-Rise
Construction
=
A Long Life
Safe Demolitions of
Major Buildings
Sidewalk Sheds
Steel & Concrete
Demolition
Full Mechanical
Demolition
Dust Control (3306.9.3)
Common Interior Demolition Hazards
Unsafe Storage of
Demolition Debris
Major Projects Initiative
Benefits of the Major Projects Initiative
• Education

• Communication

• Cooperation

• Innovation

• Technology

• Expectations
• Share Information

• DOB Point Person

• On Site Meetings

• Joint Inspections

• Address Challenges
Results of the Major Projects Initiative

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2009 2010 2011 2012
Amount of Full Stop Work Orders for Major Buildings
Become a Partner in the
Major Projects Initiative

27 Current Participants

Contact Engineering & Safety 
Operations
Questions?
This concludes the American Institute of Architects 
Continuing Education Systems Course

NYC Department of Buildings
Buildings University 
AIA Point of Contact:
Allison Ginsburg 
allisongo@buildings.nyc.gov
212‐566‐4415