Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP)

FISP Sub-Cycles: 

The buildings subject to FISP in New York are grouped into three Cycles: A, B, and C. A building’s filing window is determined by its Sub-Cycle, which is based on the last digit of the building’s block number. The three Sub-Cycles are as follows:  

Cycle 10:

Key Changes in Cycle 10

There are important updates to be aware of in Cycle 10: 

• Minimum number of physical inspections now based on linear feet of facade along public right-of-way

• Probes required for buildings with cavity wall construction (odd-numbered cycles only)

• Stricter QEWI qualification standards

• Higher DOB penalties for late filings or unsafe conditions

History of FISP: From Local Law 10 to Cycle 10

FISP originated from Local Law 10 of 1980, following the death of Grace Gold, a Barnard student fatally injured by falling masonry. Over the decades, the law has evolved in response to continued safety concerns:

• Local Law 11 of 1998: Introduced stricter inspection requirements

• 2010, Cycle 7: Renamed to FISP and included mandatory inspections of balconies, guardrails, and fire escapes

• Cycle 9: Expanded hands-on inspections to every 60 feet and added probes for buildings with cavity wall construction

• Cycle 10: Further increases in inspection frequency, qualifications for QEWIs, and penalties for non-compliance

Three Reasons FISP is Important for Existing Buildings: 

FISP Performance   

Hiring the Right Team:   

It is required and imperative that a building’s inspection be performed under the direction of a QEWI. SOCOTEC has specialized in building envelope technology for more than a quarter century, with over twenty licensed Professional Engineers and Registered Architects in the New York office, as well as a certified QEWI that oversees all facade inspection projects. 

SOCOTEC has performed over three hundred FISP inspection services on behalf of property owners and managers. The most respected names in real estate rely upon our team’s expert judgment calls, and our advice and relationships are, and have always been, focused on the long term. We also offer DOB expediting services, and have on staff the former commissioner of the DOB who heads of our Code Advisory team. 

Our team can both administer the FISP inspection and provide long-term solutions. If a building is determined as ‘SWARMP’ or ‘Unsafe’ it may suggest an underlying issue that could be costly. As an experienced building envelope consultancy, among other areas (sustainability, energy efficiency, code advisory and construction advisory), we are able to provide a holistic strategy and a proposed budget for those potential issues.  

Industrial Rope Access: 

SOCOTEC provides Industrial Rope Access SPRAT-certified inspectors in addition to our seasoned Project Managers. FISP inspections by rope access are becoming increasingly more efficient and economical, especially as the FISP amendments become more stringent and require more hands-on examinations. Inspections via rope access are equally as thorough, but are often performed faster than by other methods of inspection, and in effect become a more cost-effective alternative.