The largest MTA bus depot has “severe” trip hazards, holes, and puddles on its roof, according to official documentation from the state Department of Labor.
The Michael J. Quill Bus Depot in Midtown Manhattan was cited last week for four employee safety violations, including one for unclean and disorderly circumstances on the roof.
In a safety violation warning seen by The Post, inspectors stated, “There are excessive quantities of trip and fall dangers due to the roof’s floor having enormous amounts of cracks and potholes.”
Slip, trip, and fall risks caused by floor cracks, holes/potholes, and uneven surfaces exist across the entire roof, exposing employees to serious physical harm.
Other infractions identified by the DOL last week included the MTA’s failure to disclose publicly the city-approved weight loads for the building and to follow laws for personal protection equipment and helmets.
The structural concerns were forwarded to the city’s Department of Buildings by state officials.
Inspectors wrote, “There were holes in various places of the roof where the rebar was exposed.” “It was discovered that the roof was uneven, with water pooling in some locations.”
The decaying roof is scheduled to undergo renovations next year, as previously reported by The Post. The building is currently inhabitable, according to officials.
As previously reported by The Post, the repair work was delayed for two years after being warned by the DOL as potentially compromised earlier this year.
MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said in a statement on Sunday, “The MTA takes safety extremely seriously and is actively collaborating with the Department of Labor to immediately address issues mentioned in the filings.”
“MTA engineers anticipate resolving the report’s findings including cracks, potholes, and ponding, as well as repairing a deck, curbs, and expansion joints.”
The depot’s roof can accommodate up to 120 buses at any given time. Officials of the MTA are striving to find space to make up for the lost storage capacity during the 2023 maintenance work.
The Post reported in July that officials are evaluating streets and lots in Harlem, including the neighboring Javits Center, curbside places on 40th and 41st streets, the Sanitation Department’s garage on 57th Street, and surface lots at 30th and 126th streets.
According to internal MTA documents, the bus depot closure might last between three weeks and four months.
»NY Labor Dept. slams MTA for ‘excessive’ trip dangers at Manhattan bus depot«