Philadelphia Daily News Ronnie Polaneczky column
By Ronnie Polaneczky, Philadelphia Daily News | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The wall of a building being demolished toppled onto the roof of the adjacent
One year later, we have yet to mete out justice to those responsible for those deaths, but, oh, do we have worthy candidates:
Politically connected real-estate developer
His architect,
Demolition contractor
As for
A grand jury, convened last June, is still investigating. Multiple lawsuits have been filed. In the wrongful-death case of
"We have reviewed literally tens of thousands of documents and are moving our way through the system," says lawyer
Neither is the blue-ribbon commission that convened in November to examine the workings of L&I. Its report will be released in September.
In it, the commission will recommend changes that L&I must make if we're to avoid another disaster like the one that tore so many families apart on a beautiful morning one year ago.
L&I hasn't needed a report, though, to do its own gut check.
"This tragedy was devastating to all of us," L&I commissioner
Among them:
--Demolition permits, previously issued over the counter and often on the same day a contractor applied for one, now require a background check that takes at least 20 days to complete. A contractor's experience, site-safety plans and work schedules are reviewed, as are a contractor's demolition plans.
--Inspectors must now complete thorough, on-site reviews of site-safety plans and return for additional inspections as each stage of a demolition unfolds.
--The agency now checks a contractor's tax history and insurance status at the time of permit application. A permit will not be issued if back taxes are owed the city or insurance isn't current.
--L&I has created a department that focuses exclusively on dangerous properties and construction sites where illegal or unlicensed work is being conducted.
-- The unit that provides oversight of building and development issues has been restructured.
Sounds good. But are these changes making a difference?
"That's something we're looking at," says
"We're looking at what happens before the first shovel of dirt is lifted all the way to what happens when the final inspection is finished. We're looking at the mission, permit process, coding, policies, procedures, manpower and budgets. We're looking at how 3-1-1 interacts with L&I, where and how politics play out and how relationships with developers are managed."
The commission's goal, he says, is to avoid obvious recommendations to the mayor -- like "hire more staff" -- and focus instead on specific "qualitative and numerical" ones.
"We want to be able to say, for example, 'L&I should bring in X number of employees in these specific areas,' " he says.
The report will also look at changes that L&I has instituted since the
"We're doing a case study -- a collapse before the new regulations were in effect, and a collapse after," Corbett says.
"We share one desire: to improve public safety. The mayor might have requested this report, but these recommendations are also for the citizens. They have to decide what to do with them."
Yet there will always be those who ignore them anyway, says lawyer
"At the end of the day, there are regulations on the books that describe safe practices. These are not new concepts," Wigrizer says. "But there are building owners and developers who are intent on cutting corners and not ensuring that people who work for them are following safe practices."
Then there are the property owners who lack the capacity to recognize a looming catastrophe, says
The
Although McClain faults crane operator Benschop, who allegedly was intoxicated the day of the disaster, he also thinks Benschop is being scapegoated by lawyers for deeper-pocketed potential defendants.
"I feel like they're trying to put the blame on one person because, if he's in a position to get sued, you're not going to get anything from him," McClain says. "So they're trying to shift everything away from the
What a sorry year it's been. And what a long year lies ahead for loved ones seeking justice for those who perished.
Is it too much to expect an apology?
McClain says his family has never received one -- from any agency, individual or company -- for his stepfather's death.
What a sorry year, indeed.
- Staff writers
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 215-854-2217
On Twitter: @RonniePhilly
Blog: ph.ly/RonnieBlog
Columns: ph.ly/Ronnie
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