NYC Site Safety Plan: every component (with examples)

What an SSP is

A Site Safety Plan (SSP) is the document NYC DOB requires for Major Building projects under NYC Building Code §3304. It describes, in writing and in drawings, how the project will be built safely. Without an approved SSP on file, the project cannot pull permits or break ground.

§3304.1 sets the applicability threshold. §3304.2 identifies the required content elements. The SSP is filed through DOB NOW and reviewed by a DOB plan examiner before approval. After approval, the project's licensed Site Safety Manager (§3310) is responsible for enforcing the most-recently approved version every day on site.

The SSP is a living document. Most projects file multiple revisions during construction as logistics shift, phases change, and scope evolves. Every revision goes through DOB review before implementation. The SSM logbook tracks which version is current.

This guide walks the SSP component by component. Use it as a working checklist when you're scoping a plan, reviewing a draft, or auditing what you've already filed.

Cover sheet and project narrative

The cover sheet identifies the project for DOB review. Required elements:

• Project name and address, DOB job number
• Owner, developer, and GC names
• Architect of record and structural engineer of record
• The licensed Site Safety Manager (§3310) or Site Safety Coordinator and their DOB license number
• The Site Safety Plan author's credentials (RA, PE, or licensed safety firm)
• Filing date and revision history

The narrative describes the project in plain language: what's being built, scope, height, footprint, schedule, key trades, contracting structure, and any unusual hazards or constraints. The plan reviewer reads the narrative first. A clear narrative sets the tone for a smoother review.

Site logistics drawings

The most-reviewed part of the filing. Logistics drawings show:

• Crane location, type, swing radius, and pick zones (coordinated with §3306 crane permits)
• Hoist location and operating zone (coordinated with §3306 hoist permits)
• Gate operations and material delivery routes
• Lay-down and staging areas
• Sidewalk shed and bridge layouts (per §3303 requirements)
• Perimeter fence and signage placement (per §3303)
• Fire department access routes (coordinated with FDNY and NFPA 241 principles)
• Pedestrian routes around the site

These drawings are prepared at multiple project phases because site logistics on a NYC project change dramatically from foundation through topping-out. A common DOB objection: crane swing radius over the public sidewalk without a protected pedestrian route. Address swing radii early.

Pedestrian protection plan

The pedestrian protection plan is the SSP's implementation of §3303 (Public Protection). Required content:

• Sidewalk shed type, dimensions, and structural details per §3303.3
• Fence and barricade specifications per §3303.4
• Protected pedestrian routes including required canopies or pedestrian bridges
• Signage: project ID, hazard warnings, pedestrian routing arrows
• Lighting under sheds and along routes, at the §3303-specified footcandle levels
• Inspection schedule for shed integrity, lighting, and signage, with the SSM as responsible party

Structural drawings for the sidewalk shed itself are often a separate PE-stamped submission. Many projects prepare these from pre-engineered manufacturer systems.

Fall protection plan

The fall protection plan addresses all leading-edge work, floor openings, and elevated working surfaces. It must be consistent with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M (Fall Protection) and the project's specific structural and logistics conditions.

Required content:

• Specifications for guardrails (height, load ratings), perimeter netting, and personal fall arrest systems (PFAS)
• Anchor point inventory with verified rated capacities and structural engineer of record sign-off
• Inspection and testing schedule for all fall protection elements
• Specific details for high-risk operations: façade access, suspended scaffolds (§3314), mast climbers, BMUs
• Trade-specific requirements for ironworkers, glaziers, and roofers

A common operational gap: fall protection works fine until a sub-trade brings their own scaffold and ignores the project's posted fall protection plan. Daily SSM site walks catch it before DOB does.

Fire safety provisions

The fire safety section of the SSP is coordinated with the FDNY F-89 Fire Safety Manager's separate FDNY filings. The governing engineering reference is NFPA 241 (Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations). Required SSP content:

• Standpipe and sprinkler operability schedule during construction phases, including planned impairment windows
• Fire watch coverage during impairments (FDNY F-58 personnel required for occupied or impaired buildings)
• Hot-work permit structure: who issues (the F-89 FSM), who logs, who post-watches, minimum post-watch periods
• Combustible storage limits and segregation from ignition sources
• Emergency egress maintenance during construction, consistent with BC Chapter 10 requirements
• FDNY access routes to standpipes and FDC connections, clearly shown on logistics drawings
• Smoking policy and enforcement

The SSP fire section and the FDNY project filing must be consistent. Conflicts between them produce DOB objections and FDNY coordination delays.

Demolition sequence (when applicable)

For projects with demolition scope, §3308 governs the demolition operation and the SSP must address:

• Sequence drawings showing demolition phases tied to other Chapter 33 milestones
• Equipment selection (excavator, grapple, mini-excavator, manual) by phase
• Dust and debris control measures, including OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153 considerations for silica-generating demolition
• Adjoining-property protection per §3309 (protective measures, monitoring, notification)
• Demolition supervisor credentials as required under §3308
• Schedule of demolition phases and how each phase maintains §3303 pedestrian protection

Major demolition (buildings meeting the §3310 threshold) requires an SSM during the demolition itself, not just during any subsequent new construction.

Crane and hoisting plan

For projects using cranes or hoists, the SSP crane section must coordinate with the §3306 crane permitting process. Required content:

• Pre-pick review structure and documentation for major lifts
• Lift plans for unusual or critical picks, including PE-stamped plans where required
• Crane erection, jumping, and dismantle sequences with DOB notification triggers (§3306)
• Hoist erection and operating parameters
• Crane operator (DOB Hoisting Machinery Operator license) and signalperson credentials (qualified per ASME B30.5)
• Coordination points between the crane plan and the logistics drawings

PE-stamped lift plans are required for critical picks (over 75% of rated capacity, multi-crane lifts, lifts over occupied areas). Many firms coordinate the PE deliverables as part of the SSP package.

Tenant Protection Plans (TPPs)

For occupied alteration projects, a Tenant Protection Plan is required separately from the Site Safety Plan, under NYC Administrative Code §28-104.8.4. The TPP covers the occupied building's tenants during construction. The SSP covers the construction site itself. Both are filed through DOB NOW. For mixed projects with new construction and occupied alteration scope, both are required.

The TPP is detailed in its own guide: Tenant Protection Plan explained.

TPPN filings

A Technical Policy and Procedure Notice (TPPN) is a DOB filing required for certain specialized situations that fall outside the standard SSP framework. Common TPPN triggers:

• Specific crane operations with unusual configurations
• Special excavation conditions near subway infrastructure or sensitive utilities
• Unique structural sequencing outside standard Chapter 33 procedures
• Adjacent-property conditions requiring more than §3309's standard protective measures

TPPNs are filed alongside the SSP and require separate DOB review. Most projects don't need a TPPN. When one is required, it usually surfaces during the initial filing review.

Filing path and objections

SSPs are filed with NYC DOB through DOB NOW, the current standard portal for NYC construction permit filings. The filing professional is typically a Registered Architect (RA), Professional Engineer (PE), or a licensed safety firm filing on behalf of the project.

DOB review timelines:

• Standard review: 2–6 weeks from filing acceptance
• Expedited review: 1–2 weeks where available, additional fee applies
• Resubmissions after objections: 1–2 weeks per round

Common DOB objections:

• Crane swing radius over the public sidewalk without a protected pedestrian route (§3303 / §3306 conflict)
• Fall protection plan missing detail on non-standard elevations or specific trade operations
• Egress not maintained for a specific project phase (BC Chapter 10 / §3303 conflict)
• Insufficient §3309 adjoining-property protection plan for a specific adjacent building
• Missing or incorrect Code section references in the narrative
• Conflicts between the logistics drawings and other approved filings

Resolving objections is part of the process. A quality SSP addresses one round of objection response in the fixed-fee scope for plan preparation.

Maintaining the plan during construction

The approved SSP is not static. Most projects need plan revisions during construction:

• Phase changes (foundation to superstructure, superstructure to façade, façade to fit-out)
• Logistics changes (crane relocation, hoist replacement, staging area shifts)
• Sequence changes (demolition phases shifting, structural sequencing changes)
• Scope changes (floor additions, structural revisions, new operations)

Each revision is filed through DOB NOW and reviewed before implementation. The SSM's logbook documents which version is in force on any given day.

Bottom line

A NYC Site Safety Plan is the §3304-required document mapping how a project will be built safely. Cover sheet and narrative anchor the project. Logistics drawings translate the plan into field operations. Each component section maps to its governing code: §3303 for pedestrian protection, §3306 for cranes, §3308 for demolition, §3309 for adjoining property, §3310 for the SSM credential, NFPA 241 for fire safety, OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M for fall protection. A TPP (§28-104.8.4) adds the occupied-building layer when applicable.

Skilled Safety Management prepares and files Site Safety Plans for projects of every size and complexity. Most plans turn around in 7–10 business days from kickoff to filing.

Frequently asked questions

Working on a NYC project? Skilled Safety Management staffs licensed Site Safety Managers, Coordinators, Concrete Safety Managers, and FDNY Fire Safety Managers throughout the five boroughs. Send your project details through our contact form or call (212) 498-8863 for a fixed-fee proposal in 24 hours.