Allege Phantom Inspections By Construction Tester; 2nd Ave. Subway, WTC Building

Testwell? More like Testbad.

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow WORKER AND RESIDENT SAFETY AT RISK? Paul Stein, a safety and health officer for the Public Employees Federation, was taken aback by charges of falsified concrete testing and other fraudulent practices against Testwell, which oversaw several public construction projects, including two at Ground Zero.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office Oct. 30 indicted the seven men connected to the Ossining-based construction material testing company specializing in examining concrete mixes on charges of defrauding state agencies and private firms.

A DA's statement said, "The investigation [beginning in March] disclosed that the Testwell Group: i) often failed to perform tests on materials it purportedly performed; ii) falsified test results; iii) regularly engaged in double billing with respect to its field inspectors; iv) and billed for inspections done by purportedly certified inspectors when in fact, they were not so certified."

Some of the 102 projects at which the DA alleges fraud are 7 World Trade Center, the Second Ave. subway and various sites within the City University of New York.

The DA's Office also said that the company "actually based its recommendations on software projections and not actual tests that are required."

At various projects including the Second Ave. subway and at Hunter College, an "investigation revealed that while Testwell's final reports represented that field tests had been conducted, few actually had been done. The handwritten notes recovered in searches reflected that field tests were done sporadically even though final reports indicated otherwise."

The alleged violations and deceptions rankled Public Employees Federation Division 199 Health and Safety Committee Chair Paul Stein, who has been outspoken about occupational safety in various downtown construction projects including those in and around the World Trade Center site.

What Took So Long?

"The structural integrity of all of these buildings, bridges, tunnels, everything that's constructed in a modern city like New York depends upon the quality of the building materials, and concrete is one of the major building materials of any major project in the city," he said. "Unfortunately, there's been a history in the Buildings Department with corruption, and it's shocking that in this year, in 2008, that these disgraceful violations of the public trust are only now being discovered."

The DOB added 63 employees for construction inspections in May, and Mr. Stein hoped that the news about Testwell spur the agency to add more Inspectors, notwithstanding Mayor Bloomberg's planned budget cuts.

"In spite of the budget crisis, it's absolutely essential that the City of New York spend money to increase the number of Inspectors in the Buildings Department, and in all areas that protect the public safety," he said. "It is pennywise and pound-foolish not to make sure that buildings are properly built, and make sure that workers and residents are properly protected. In the long run, it costs much more money when structures are compromised and people are injured."