City Controller Christy Brady recently conducted an audit that unveiled considerable safety risks and gaps in oversight by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections (L&I). The findings point to a negligent attitude towards contractor licensing and a lack of adequate worker documentation, raising red flags over public and worker safety, as well as the city's loss of potential revenue, according to a press release.
"This audit builds on our previous investigation into dangerous and unsafe buildings and continues our commitment to ensuring that all construction activity in Philadelphia is safe, lawful, and properly inspected," Brady stated, as reported by the City Controller's press release. The audit's spotlight fell onto eight construction site visits where, without asking, the L&I inspectors failed to request contractors' licenses or verify workers' employment status, effectively opening the doors to unlicensed and potentially unqualified operators within the city's building landscape.
The audit findings included a series of concerning deficiencies: 40 residential permits sampled revealed that 13 lacked complete inspection records, 34 were missing crucial comment details or photographs, and eight employees, alarmingly unqualified for the task, conducted over 1,000 fire inspections without the required certifications. Furthermore, a mere 1% of over 6,000 third-party electrical inspections received an audit, and some of these audits fell under the responsibility of uncertified staff.
Putting the city at risk, the audit led City Controller Christy Brady to remark, “These findings are alarming. They weaken L&I’s ability to ensure safe construction and allow unlicensed contractors and misclassified workers to operate unchecked. putting both public and worker safety and the city at risk.” Also joining the chorus of concern was Councilmember Michael Driscoll, who chairs the Licenses and Inspections Committee, "Philadelphians deserve safe, lawful construction in every neighborhood," Driscoll said, signaling gratitude towards Brady and acknowledging the hardworking L&I team facing daily challenges, as quoted in the City Controller's press release.
Controller Brady noted that both L&I Commissioner Basil Merenda and Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration have started implementing corrective actions in response to the audit's findings. "We are encouraged by L&I’s commitment to addressing these issues," Brady added, ensuring continued monitoring and collaboration to safeguard the integrity of Philadelphia's construction industry, as noted by the same press release.
