Report suggests public are still in jeopardy.
Demolition work done by private contractors throughout Philadelphia since last year’s Center City building collapse is not any safer despite new regulations adopted after that tragedy, an audit by the city controller found.
In a 31-page report released Thursday, Controller Alan Butkovitz slammed the Department of Licenses and Inspections for what he described as an ongoing “culture of informality” that “jeopardizes public safety.”
L&I Commissioner Carlton Williams issued a rebuttal, disputing most of the controller’s findings, that was longer than the report itself.
Butkovitz’s report said that in almost half the 442 demolition sites that the city claimed to have inspected, there was no documented proof that an inspection had taken place.
The auditors also found that in 15 of 18 private demolitions completed since the June 5 building collapse, inspections failed to live up to the city’s newly established procedures.
Overall, auditors found many demolitions lacked the required documentation, including photographs and detailed description of work done during inspections.
“Administrative staff failed to properly maintain and update inspection records,” Butkovitz said.
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