Safety Violations Lead to Hefty Fines for Framing and Roofing Companies

Based on recent news releases pushed out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), framing and roofing companies (especially those that have already been cited and/or fined) should be increasingly diligent about following safety and health regulations.

OSHA’s enforcement of fall protection violations seems to have picked at the recent renewal of its Region-Wide Local Emphasis Program, which allows the agency to conduct inspections of residential construction worksites under the jurisdiction of Federal OSHA.

For example, recently:

• In late November, OSHA issued a press release about a Florida framing contractor who now faces $360,000 in fines for fall-related safety hazards and other safety violations. OSHA cited the company after repeatedly observing employees working at heights of up to 22 feet without fall protection. FIn late September, OSHA fined a New Jersey contractor $291,997 for failing to provide fall protection for employees at four Lehigh Valley worksites, and 13 other safety violations.
• A Syracuse roofing contractor with a history of safety violations was fined $96,000. In early September, inspectors found employees working atop a residential roof up to 20 feet without fall protection. They also found an additional fall hazard created by a roof access ladder that did not extend at least 3 feet above the roof’s edge for required stability. OSHA previously cited the company for similar hazards at other roofing jobs.
• In late September, two unrelated companies (roofing and framing) received fines over $200,000 for repeat safety violations. During site inspections for both companies, employees were observed performing roofing and framing activities without fall protection. In the same month, another roofing company was fined a little over $60,000 for failing to work crews with fall protection.

“The company can easily eliminate the hazards by using readily available and reusable personal protective equipment, or by making simple modifications to its work practices, yet it continues to expose workers to dangerous conditions. This will not be tolerated by OSHA,” said Jean Kulp, director of OSHA’s Allentown, Pa., area office, in a press release.

Inspections under OSHA’s Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction are ongoing. Protect your workers and your investment by developing a safety training program, learn more about fall protection safety or take a look at these resources that can help new employees get up to speed.