By Dan Rivoli

November 3, 2010

 

Council Member Jessica Lappin introduced two bills aimed to increase oversight of independent asbestos and lead inspectors.

 

The first bill would require the departments of health and environmental protection to conduct audits of at least 40 percent of inspection reports to check for accuracy. The second bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection to notify other city agencies if an inspection certification is revoked.

 

The legislation is in response to an independent contractor who admitted in April 2010 to filing falsified reports that claimed buildings were safe, though they were untested, according to Lappin. The Department of Environmental Protection suspended the license for the inspector but never notified other agencies that manage lead and asbestos in buildings.

 

“New Yorkers need to have confidence that independent inspectors are being honest and doing their jobs,” Lappin said in a statement. “If the city is going to outsource inspections, it needs to conduct frequent audits and exercise better oversight.”