OATH Now Accepting Applications for CDRB Panelists

The New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) is accepting applications from qualified persons who would like to serve on Contract Dispute Resolution Board (CDRB) panels.

CDRB panels hear the final appeal in a three-step dispute resolution process contained in City contracts for construction, goods and services. Each CDRB panel consists of an OATH ALJ, as chair, a representative of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, and a third member selected from … <Read More>


License revoked for fatal injury

General contractor with riggers license violated multiple Building Code provisions on construction job where worker fell from unpermitted scaffolding. Wayne Bellet contracted to perform brick façade work on a six-story building located at 880 St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan. Bellet commenced the brick façade work after his subcontractor constructed a 50-foot-tall supported scaffold and Bellet. On June 22, 2019, a worker fell off the supported scaffold at the location and died.


Unlicensed plumber fined

Worker on a Queens jobsite cited for working on plumbing installation without a license. The Department of Buildings performed a safety inspection of a worksite at 210-19 Richland Avenue in Hollis Hills, Queens, on December 1, 2020, and found respondent Khalim Sharipov, along with two other workers, engaged in plumbing work. The workers were on a scaffold with tools including a gas torch, tape measure, and copper fittings and copper piping. Buildings saw Sharipov and … <Read More>


$20k fine for crane wind violation

Crane engineer failed to follow procedure for securing cranes during high winds. Matheau Chaudanson was a supervising engineer at a construction site located at 608 West 40th Street, Manhattan. One of Chaudanson’s responsibilities was to monitor wind speeds and direct the out-of-service configuration of crawler cranes in order to ensure safety.  Chaudanson, in anticipation of wind speeds of 60 miles per hour, participated in a meeting to discuss crawler crane configurations on February 25, … <Read More>


Loft status denied for non-resident

Loft occupant moved out prior to applying for protected status. Frank Hughes was a resident at 401 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, a commercial building with several residential units. In 2012, Hughes and other residents of the building applied to the New York City Loft Board for Loft Law occupant protection status, which referred the applications for an OATH hearing. The 401 Wythe Avenue residents sought Loft Law status because lofts in split commercial/residential buildings … <Read More>


Nail Salon gets $15K COVID fines

Nail salon violated health code by staying open for business in a Covid Red Zone. BJ New Beauty Queen Nail Spa, Inc., located at 968 McDonald Avenue, Brooklyn, was within a Covid “Red Zone.” A Covid Red Zone is an area where non-essential businesses must close due to a high infection rate. Despite the mandatory order to close, BJ New Beauty Queen remained open for business. The Department of Finance issued a summons amounting in … <Read More>