NYC Workers Carrying Fake OSHA Training Cards

As the numbers of work-related injuries and fatalities continue to rise in the Big Apple, investigators have launched an aggressive campaign to identify and arrest workers who carry fake OSHA training cards.

According to various sources, New York City workers are required by law to pass safety courses which are managed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The purpose of these courses is to train workers on certain hazards so they can better protect themselves and their coworkers from injury. But unfortunately there's been a startling trend of workers acquiring and using fake OSHA training cards.

In less than 10 months, nearly two dozen NYC workers have been caught with fake OSHA training cards at construction cites. The Department of Investigation and the Building Department has launched the aggressive campaign to crack down on these perpetrators, saying it's paramount for both worker and public safety. The Department of Investigation and the Building Department noted that work-related fatalities in the construction industry had increased to 18 last year, whereas there were only 12 reported in 2013. Of course, there are likely still many other workers out there who are using the fake training cards, which is why city investigators say they will continue to the aggressive campaign to identify and weed them out.

Workers who carry and use these fake OSHA training cards aren't just receiving a slap on the wrist, either. Investigators from the DOI and Buildings Department in conjunction with the NYPD have been arresting the offenders, transporting them to the local jail for booking. In the most recent string of arrests, investigators and police officers arrested five at a NYC construction site for possessing fake OSHA training cards. An additional 19 workers were pulled from the site because they didn't have OSHA training cards. It's unclear what charges the workers will face at this time.

"Numerous inspectors from the Scaffold Safety unit visited various sites where they identified workers carrying OSHA and scaffold training cards that appeared fraudulent," said a buildings spokesperson.

Many of the locals were glad to hear of the city cracking down on workers who were using the fake OSHA training cards, saying it's a step towards creating safer working environments.