Why We Performed This Audit
We performed this audit because GSA’s Public Buildings Service (PBS) plays a significant role in providing a safe, healthy, and secure environment for building occupants at more than 8,300 federally owned and leased facilities nationwide. Further, prior audit reports issued by our office have identified deficiencies in PBS’s facilities management and its oversight of operations and maintenance (O&M) contractors. Effective management of PBS facilities is critical because deficiencies could pose fire, safety, and health risks to building occupants and the public. PBS Northeast and Caribbean Region’s (PBS Region 2’s) facility operations management of the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building (Javits Building) in New York, New York, directly affects the health and safety of the building’s vast number of daily visitors.
Standing as the largest federal building outside of the District of Columbia area, the Javits Building serves as office space for many federal agencies and houses various federal courtrooms. Its prominent location on Broadway in downtown Manhattan regularly exposes the building to heavy pedestrian traffic. PBS’s management of the building plays a crucial part in the safety of the building’s occupants and the surrounding area. Our audit objective was to assess whether PBS Region 2 complied with applicable laws, regulations, and PBS policies governing fire protection, environmental safety, and property conditions at the Javits Building.
What We Found
PBS Region 2 did not fully comply with applicable laws, regulations, and PBS policies governing fire protection, worker safety, and accessibility at the Javits Building. We found various fire protection violations, worker safety hazards, and disability access deficiencies. We also found that PBS Region 2 did not notify building occupants of identified environmental, health, safety, and fire protection (EHSF) risks in a timely manner, in violation of PBS policies. Without corrective actions, proper monitoring, and timely notification of safety risks, these deficiencies can result in safety and health hazards for building tenants, workers, and visitors.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner::
Take immediate actions to address any fire protection and worker safety deficiencies at the Javits Building by:
a. Ensuring that all fire extinguishers are mounted and unobstructed, all elevator machine rooms comply with applicable requirements for fire barriers, and all fire evacuation route diagrams are up to date to comply with fire codes;
b. Confirming that the O&M contractor promptly repairs water leaks or displays proper signage in affected areas to prevent slipping accidents in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. This is especially important for prolonged leaks for which PBS Region 2 is awaiting repair funding; and
c. Strengthening oversight to improve O&M contractor performance and ensure that the O&M contractor is complying with contract requirements including, but not limited to, fire and work safety requirements and use of the National Computerized Maintenance Management System.
Take immediate actions to reassess compliance with Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards requirements at the Javits Building by:
a. Ensuring that proper signage is installed that directs individuals to disability-accessible entrances, exits, restrooms, and other applicable building locations;
b. Cataloging all accessibility violations, resources permitting, throughout the building and developing a plan to remediate them.
- Implement controls to ensure that appropriate PBS Region 2 officials notify building occupants of identified EHSF risks in a timely manner in accordance with PBS policies.
The PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner agreed with the report recommendations. PBS’s response can be found in its entirety in Appendix B.
