US News

CRANE INSPECTOR SLAPPED AFTER POST PROBE

A SENIOR Department of Buildings crane inspec tor has been suspended after The Post notified the agency he had cleared several complaints last year that claimed unqualified operators were working in the industry and that some of their licenses were fraudulent.

The complaints were filed via the city’s 311 hot line a year before two cranes collapsed on the East Side, taking nine lives.

Records show that Michael Carbone, chief inspector for the DOB’s emergency-response team, closed at least five of the complaints as “not valid,” “unjustified” or as a “licensing issue” not requiring emergency action.

“Michael Carbone has been suspended for 30 days without pay for neglect of duty,” said a DOB spokesman. “Because of the ongoing investigation, I can’t comment further.”

The Post found the complaints in the DOB database, which is available on the Internet, while researching a story on an unrelated matter.

“Licenced (sic) fraud,” reads the complaint filed on Feb. 9, 2007, which provided the name of a crane operator who allegedly “has no crane experience.”

“As per caller, this is corruption,” noted the 311 operator.

A probe led nowhere after DOB inspectors determined on Feb. 12, 2007, that there was “no scaffold or crane at the location” the caller had provided.

Eight days later, another tip came in – this time the caller identified not only the operator but his company.

“Nu Way Crane employee has obtained a crane license fraudilly (sic). falsifing (sic) NYC and NYS GOVT records claiming cable crane experience. Invest[igate] Nu Way Crane,” was how the 311 operator recorded the call.

Carbone took only a day to shrug off that charge, labeling it a “licensing issue.”

The caller – or callers – wouldn’t give up.

On June 8, 2007, another complaint was filed, making essentially the same charge.

“Caller states that [a worker identified by name] is pretending to be a qualified crane operator at various construction sites in NYC,” reads the complaint.

“Complaint not valid,” reported Carbone.

But the caller was apparently on to something.

All the crane licenses issued to Nu Way have now been suspended.

Chief crane inspector James Delayo was arrested this month on charges of taking $10,000 in bribes over eight years from crane companies, allegedly including Nu Way, to whom he is accused of providing advance peeks at licensing exams.

The Post reported this month that the Manhattan DA’s Office is examining dozens of instances in which unlicensed workers may have operated cranes.

The Post also reported that Carbone overrode a subordinate’s concerns about the crane that eventually toppled on East 91st Street on May 30 and allowed it to operate.

One official noted that the Buildings Department receives thousands of complaints, some from people intent on settling personal scores or trying to slow down projects.