NEW YORK (AP) Authorities said surprise checks of nearly 50 construction cranes around New York City have uncovered no unlicensed operators.

City investigators randomly checked 47 cranes July 25. The Department of Investigation (DOI) said all the rigs had properly licensed operators, but one crane had an expired permit. A partial stop-work order and a violation were issued.

The checks follow a spike in construction accidents throughout the city, where crane accidents have killed at least nine people since March.

Twenty DOI and Buildings Department staffers fanned out to construction sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn called the operation “both a proactive safety measure and a strong deterrent message.’’

This story also appears on Crane Equipment Guide.

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