Industry Unhappy with City's New Crane Regulations

After two fatal crane collapses and other accidents, the city issued new rules to improve crane safety. However, construction industry officials tell the NY Times union laborers would be out of work (temporarily), work will be slower, and the Department of Buildings didn't even consult them! For instance, the new rules requires contractors to have manuals for assembling and dismantling cranes, but many operators "don't have those manuals and own cranes whose manufacturers are out of business." A concrete contractor said, "What used to take a week now takes three to four weeks." DOB commissioner Robert LiMandri said these rules were developed with the industry and were included in the City Council's legislation, "Safety must be everyone's top priority."