Philadelphia Code § A-1001 GENERAL
SECTION A-1001 GENERAL
A-1001.1 Definitions: 294 The following definitions apply to this Chapter:
"Major Building." A building that is either:
1. More than 3 stories in height; or
2. More than 40 feet (12 192 mm) in height; or
3. Covers 10,000 square feet (929 m2) or more of lot space, regardless of height.
A-1001.2 Scope:
1. The provisions of this Chapter shall evidence training compliance of all construction or demolition workers. These provisions are designed to save lives and enhance the public safety of all citizens in, around or near a construction or demolition site. For rules relating to the safety of persons employed in construction or demolition operations, OSHA standards shall apply.
2. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to relieve persons engaged in construction or demolition operations from complying with other applicable provisions of law, nor is it intended to alter or diminish any obligation otherwise imposed by law on the owner, construction manager, general contractor, contractors, material men, registered design professionals, or other party involved in a construction or demolition project to engage in sound design and engineering, safe construction or demolition practices, including but not limited to debris removal, and to act in a reasonable and responsible manner to maintain a safe construction or demolition site and to follow all other rules, regulations and laws.
A-1001.3 Department duties: 295
1. The Department shall ensure that all construction and demolition workers have completed the training required under this Chapter.
2. The Department shall accept a wallet sized identification card or other written proof issued by the training provider, as confirmation of completion of an approved training course and as proof that a construction or demolition worker has successfully completed the training required under this Chapter. At a minimum the card shall include the name of the applicant an issue date and the level of training completed.
A-1001.4 Worker training requirements: 296
1. In order to protect public safety, all workers performing duties at a construction or demolition site, regardless of their position, shall have completed a course of OSHA 10 training, and carry the card at all times.
2. All independent contractors working at a demolition site shall be licensed in accordance with Chapter 9-1000 of The Philadelphia Code.
3. The worker training requirements of this Section shall apply only to persons performing construction or demolition activities for which a permit must be obtained, and do not apply to delivery persons, design professionals and their staff, special inspectors and similar persons performing duties at a construction or demolition site whose work is not considered construction or demolition work regulated by a permit.
4. A licensed contractor who employs any such worker shall maintain a copy of such written proof for each worker under his/her employ on file and make it available to the Department upon request.
A-1001.5 Site Safety Manager: 297 A Site Safety Manager with OSHA 30 training must be designated by the general contractor and present during the construction or demolition of a Major Building.
A-1001.6 Contractor: Contractors, construction managers, and subcontractors engaged in building or demolition work shall institute and maintain work site public safety measures that will adequately protect the general public from harm, in addition to any OSHA requirements, and provide all equipment or temporary construction necessary to safeguard all persons and property affected by such contractor's operations.
A-1001.7 Work site signage: 298
A-1001.7.1 Sign requirements: Signs shall be posted at all construction or demolition sites in accordance with this Section.
A-1001.7.2 Project information panel sign for major buildings: The signs required in this Section shall be constructed of 3/4 inch plywood or sheet metal. The letters on the required signs shall be black on white background, with lettering of at least 1.5 inches in height. The sign shall be prominently posted onsite in an area reasonably likely to draw the attention of persons passing by. A Project Information Panel sign shall be posted at all sites of new construction, structural alteration or demolition of Major Buildings containing the following information:
(a) A rendering, elevation drawing, or zoning diagram of the building exterior that does not contain logos or commercially recognizable symbols;
(b) A title line stating "Work in Progress" and specifying the intended type(s) of Building Code Occupancy Classification(s);
(c) Anticipated project completion date;
(d) The name or corporate name, physical address, and telephone number of the owner of the property. If the owner is not a natural person or a publicly traded company, the sign shall also include, in addition to the owner of the property, the name and preferred mailing address of each natural person who has an equity interest in such owner or owners of the property that exceeds one or more of the following, regardless of whether the natural person has a direct equity interest or such natural person's equity interest is held through one or more tiers of a corporate structure, such as parent-subsidiary structure: (a) forty-nine percent (49%) of the value of the property or (b) forty-nine percent (49%) of the value of the owner of the property. If no natural person has such an interest, the sign shall identify the name and preferred mailing address of the two natural persons who have the largest equity interest in the property; 299
(e) Website and telephone number of the project developer or development company, if applicable;
(f) The corporate name and telephone number of the general contractor, or for a demolition site, the demolition contractor;
(g) A statement, in both English and Spanish printed as follows: "TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT THIS WORK SITE, CALL 311 or 911."; and
(h) A copy of the primary project permit or notice of permit issued by the Department, with the accompanying text: "To see other permits issued on this property, call 311 or visit www.phila.gov/li." The permit or notice of permit issued by the Department shall be laminated or encased in a plastic covering to protect it from the elements or shall be printed directly onto the project information panel. 300
Exceptions: 301
1. A rendering, elevation drawing, or zoning diagram of the building exterior is not required for demolition projects.
2. This Section A-1001.7.2 shall not apply to new construction, structural alteration or demolition of a one-family or two-family dwelling, unless a project consists of the construction, alteration or demolition of more than two such dwellings.
A-1001.7.3 Project information sign for all other buildings: 302 The signs required in this Section shall be printed by the Department on paper no smaller than 11 inches x 17 inches. The letters on the required sign shall be black on yellow background. The sign shall be prominently posted onsite in an area reasonably likely to draw the attention of persons passing by. This sign shall be posted at all sites of new construction, structural alteration or demolition of all buildings that are not required to post a project information panel pursuant to Section A-1001.7.2, and shall contain the following information:
(a) A title line stating "Work in Progress" and specifying the intended type(s) of Building Code Occupancy Classification(s);
(b) Anticipated project completion date;
(c) The name or corporate name, physical address, and telephone number of the owner of the property. If the owner is not a natural person or a publicly traded company, the sign shall also include, in addition to the owner of the property, the name and preferred mailing address of each natural person who has an equity interest in such owner or owners of the property that exceeds one or more of the following, regardless of whether the natural person has a direct equity interest or such natural person's equity interest is held through one or more tiers of a corporate structure, such as parent-subsidiary structure: (a) forty-nine percent (49%) of the value of the property or (b) forty-nine percent (49%) of the value of the owner of the property. If no natural person has such an interest, the sign shall identify the name and preferred mailing address of the two natural persons who have the largest equity interest in the property; 303
(d) The corporate name and telephone number of the contractor of record on the primary project permit, or for a demolition site, the demolition contractor;
(e) A statement, in both English and Spanish printed as follows: "TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT THIS WORK SITE, CALL 311 or 911.";
(f) A statement printed as follows: "To see other permits issued on this property, call 311 or visit www.phila.gov/li."; and
(g) Whether the project scope includes an excavation exceeding a depth of five feet below adjacent grade, excluding digging, trenching, or boring for utilities or geotechnical exploration, and is within ten feet of an existing structure. 304
A-1001.8 Preconstruction meetings: 305 Before construction or demolition of a building begins, the Department may require that the responsible contractors attend a meeting with representatives of city departments to review the schedule of operations and safety protections for the project.
Notes
293 | Enrolled bill did not provide for primary Section number or caption; added by Code editor.
294 | Amended, Bill No. 180175 (approved June 6, 2018).
295 | Amended, Bill No. 180175 (approved June 6, 2018).
296 | Amended, Bill No. 180175 (approved June 6, 2018).
297 | Amended, Bill No. 180175 (approved June 6, 2018).
298 | Regulations implementing Section A-1001.7 were promulgated on June 20, 2014 and became effective on July 21, 2014. Section A-1001.7 therefore became effective on July 21, 2014.
299 | Amended, Bill No. 200417 (became law November 12, 2020).
300 | Amended, Bill No. 180175 (approved June 6, 2018).
301 | Amended, Bill No. 160468 (approved June 28, 2016).
302 | Amended, Bill No. 160468 (approved June 28, 2016).
303 | Amended, Bill No. 200417 (became law November 12, 2020).
304 | Added, Bill No. 210389 (approved July 15, 2021), effective January 1, 2023.
305 | Added, Bill No. 180175 (approved June 6, 2018). Enrolled bill numbered this as A-1001.7; renumbered by Code editor.