Building inspector charged for selling OSHA safety certificates

A former New York City building inspector Michael Dinardo, 52, has been charged with selling coveted safety certification cards to workers who hadn’t received any training, which are issued through the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged DiNardo on Friday of selling dozens of OSHA cards to workers who needed them to install scaffolding on high rise buildings or handle Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) which required 10-hour OSHA and 30-hours OSHA training approved.

Prosecutors say he charged $100 for a 10-hour OSHA training certificate and $325 for HAZWOPER which required 30-hours OSHA card. DiNardo had access to the federal documents because he was an OSHA-authorized safety trainer.

An undercover investigator says the 52-year-old former building instructor didn’t require employees to undergo any of the required safety training before handing over the licenses.

DiNardo was fired by the city in 2007.

He’s faces a $250,000 fine in prison and five years if convicted of conspiracy to defraud OSHA.