A report released by the Philadelphia Controller’s Office on Thursday found that in visits to construction sites across the city, inspectors from the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) didn’t require documentation from workers to determine if they were licensed to be certain that they were performing work that would be up to code.
“Since taking office, I’ve prioritized reviewing policies that protect our residents, especially those related to construction and development,” said Philadelphia Controller Christy Brady in a statement on the audit. “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.”
According to the controller’s office, in compiling this audit, investigators visited eight construction sites — at projects in both residential and commercial properties — across the city and regularly found that L&I inspectors “failed to request contractors’ licenses or documentation verifying workers’ employment status.”…