Mr. Curry also said the department's eight field inspectors were not enough to check hazardous-waste sites.

She began her career in 1978 working as an analytical chemist and field inspector.

But a spokesman for the department said it could provide no further information until it had a report from its field inspectors.

"You can't send in a field inspector with his hands tied behind his back," he said.

The city has 3,081 employees assigned as field inspectors or supervisors at the 11 agencies.

The department says it has only 57 field inspectors responsible for 800,000 buildings, and so must rank complaints by importance.

The suit also says that field inspectors had less than the 100 hours of training required by contract.

Scientists have observed that management undercuts field inspectors who stand up for food safety against industry pressure.

In 1978, the Commission was reorganized, eliminating the field inspectors.

The number of field inspectors was not restored to full strength.