You’re going about your day when you receive a letter from the City of New York informing you that your business has an ECB violation. Though resolving ECB violations isn’t fun, it doesn’t have to be difficult.
The Environmental Control Board (ECB) is a division of New York City’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, more commonly known as OATH. The ECB is responsible for providing hearings on violations submitted to the City from departments like the FDNY or the Department of Sanitation. It doesn’t conduct inspections, give out tickets, or decide on penalties (the price of which are predetermined by New York law).
Some examples of FDNY ECB violations include failing to obtain a Certificate of Fitness, neglecting to test equipment, going over the occupancy limit, or not having fire extinguishers and fire buckets available.
There are two ways to resolve an ECB violation.
First, you’ll want to pay the fine prior to the hearing date listed on your ticket (which you don’t have to go to if you’re following this method). If you pay late, you could receive additional fees. The City prefers that you pay online using CityPay.
Then, you will want to contact your fire alarm system’s provider which will be able to schedule the necessary repairs and help you with any questions you might have. At this point, you will also want to contact the Administrative Enforcement Unit to obtain instructions to correct the violation and a Certificate of Correction.
Finally, you’ll need to submit the following documents to the Administrative Enforcement Unit:
If you have an ECB violation related to your fire alarm, in order to clear it you will need to show the cause of the alarm and what you have done to make sure the alarm does not occur again.
If at any point you need more information on the progress of your case, you can track your case on NYC's online Building Information System portal.
Though this might seem like a tempting option, be aware that this method has a low success rate, particularly with fire safety violations.
To contest a violation, you can contact the ECB online or via phone before the hearing date. Alternatively, you can attend the hearing detailed on your ticket, which right now will most likely be a video or phone call instead of an in-person hearing. Before you go, prepare proof of your view that you are not at fault. You can have someone represent you or be represented by a lawyer.
If the ECB rejects your contest, then you can either follow the steps in the first method or file an appeal by following the instructions on the back of the Decision and Order form that you will receive after the hearing.
By now you might be wondering just how much all of this is going to cost. Depending on the severity of the violation, ECB violations can be extremely expensive. Most violations will run you a one-time fine of a few hundred dollars, but some recur daily until the problem is solved. At the top of the range are fines in the tens of thousands of dollars. The City also levies late fees on top of the original fine, and Class 1 violations can receive extra fines of $1500 if they aren’t resolved immediately.
If you choose not to pay, your debt could be passed onto a collection agency or you may be sued in Civil Court. Depending on the nature of your violation, the City might also take other legal action.
From the cost of the fine to the necessary representation you’ll need, ECB violations can get pretty pricey – so preventing them is the most economical option.
The first thing to do is to hire an FDNY-certified fire alarm service company to install and service your system for you. New York City has an incredibly complex fire code so it’s best to hire a local company that is familiar with the code.
Other than that, avoiding FDNY ECB violations mainly come up to good fire safety habits and maintenance. Check out the list below for suggestions:
These are just some of the things you will need to do to ensure a safe environment for all of the people in your building. Remember that office buildings, hotels, and motels have additional fire safety requirements.
As an FDNY-certified fire alarm installer, DGA is equipped to design, install, service, and monitor your fire alarm system.
With our FDNY-certified technicians, we can perform the required inspections of your fire alarm system. These inspection reports are available 24/7 to you and the Fire Department.
If you are already a DGA customer, contact us at any time at 212-221-2300 for free fire alarm systems training for you and your staff. If you are interested in learning more about DGA’s services click the Free Consultation button below to get in touch with us.
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