New York's Local Law 196 Requirements: Managing SST Cards with Assignar
New York's Local Law 196 mandates that construction workers and supervisors hold valid Site Safety Training (SST) cards—requiring 30 to 62 hours of training plus periodic renewals with specific safety courses—to avoid substantial fines up to $15,000 per non-compliant employee, compelling contractors and site owners to rigorously track and manage SST compliance, a process facilitated by systems like Assignar.
New York’s Local Law 196 of 2017 places responsibility on contractors to demonstrate that workers and supervisors on job sites have extensive training. To adhere to the new law, workers and supervisors are required to have a valid Site Safety Training (SST) card while on site. This law requires workers and supervisors on construction job sites to complete different levels of safety training to receive their SST. To avoid fines and limit injuries on site, contractors need to understand the requirements and have a reliable system in place to track workers’ SST cards.
SST Card Requirements
- Workers need a minimum of 30 hours of training.
- Supervisors need 62 hours of training by June 1, 2019.
- An additional 10 hours of training is required for non-supervisor workers by September 1, 2020.
SST Cards Expire After 5 Years
Workers must renew their SST card after five years with additional training. Within a one-year period preceding submission for renewal, workers and supervisors must complete the following training as specified by the Department of Buildings:
Worker SST Card (8 hours):
- 4-Hour Fall Prevention
- 4-Hour Supported Scaffold User
Supervisor SST Card (16 hours):
- 8 Hours Fall Prevention
- 4 Hours Support Scaffold
- 2 Hours Tool Box Talks
- 2 Hours Pre-Task Safety Meetings
Hefty Fines for Non-Compliant Workers
Multiple stakeholders in a project are at risk of being fined per non-compliant worker, but contractors may be held responsible for covering the entirety of the fines.
- The site owner, permit holder, and the employer may be fined up to $5,000 per employee not in compliance.
- Permit holders will be fined $2,500 if they fail to provide a log that demonstrates compliance of all workers.
With a penalty of up to $15,000 per employee, contractors need to work proactively to stay ahead of the requirements of New York Local Law 196.
The Effects of NYC Local Law 196: What New Regulations Mean for Site Owners and Contractors
Project Owners
Project owners must work closely with contractors and subcontractors to establish a system that ensures compliance with the law. This system should be straightforward and easy to maintain to enable general contractors to stay on top of training requirements and avoid fines and internal disputes.
Contractors
Contractors must work hard to stay compliant but will benefit from more educated workers and reduced accidents. Sponsoring training for employees and maintaining records will ensure compliance and help avoid fines. The law requires diligent tracking, documentation, and maintenance to avoid significant financial penalties. Contractors also need a way to quickly and easily present proof of compliance in the case of unannounced inspections.
Need more information on managing compliance for this local law? Register for our webinar here.
How Assignar Tracks SST Cards
Tracking your site worker and supervisors’ certifications is simple with Assignar. The platform helps simplify processes to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and manage project compliance requirements.
Track & Log
- Upload pictures and expiry dates of all employee SST cards in bulk. Assignar notifies allocators and operations managers when laborers’ SST cards are about to expire or have expired, helping prevent non-compliant workers on the job site.
- Crews can update their SST cards themselves from the mobile app.
- Automatic logging makes keeping a log of your workers’ SST cards and other certifications nearly effortless.
Notify
- All information updated in the app can trigger workflows based on the rules you set, so you can automatically notify the right person when action needs to be taken.
- Receive reminders of items to action upon sign-in.
Schedule
- When scheduling crews and supervisors, Assignar ensures they all have the required SST cards (or any other compliance requirements) before you can allocate them to jobs.
- The scheduler provides a clear picture of the status and location of your crews, so you can easily shift them around based on site requirements.
There’s more to compliance and certification tracking in Assignar. Book a Demo to learn how Assignar can help your contracting business.
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