Roofers have dangerous jobs. By the very nature of their work, are particularly exposed to fall risks, as well as other types of construction accidents. Because they work in elevated settings, it is very important that they have all proper safety protections.
But some employers fail to provide that protection. When this happens, in the Baltimore area or anywhere else, it puts workers at undue risk of falls and other injuries. As we discussed in our March 14 post, construction falls are one of the main causes of fatal work accidents.
It is therefore always a concern when employers violate safety standards, particularly those on fall protection. This concern is compounded when an employer is found to have repeatedly violated safety standards. That is what happened, however, in a recent case.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a roofing contractor for numerous safety violations. OSHA alleges that the contractor, KG Framing and Construction LLC, did not provide adequate fall protection for roofers at a work site in Missouri. There were also other safety violations. The proposed fines for the violations are more than $120,000.
Of the 12 safety violations alleged by OSHA, three of them were repeat violations. Two of those repeat violations involved fall protection. One was for failing to provide fail protection training. The other repeat violation was for insufficient ladder extension.
The company has already been cited six times for fall protection violations. OSHA has therefore placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
In an inspection last October, an inspector from OSHA noted that roofers were working on a pitched roof without personal fall arrest systems such as harnesses. Other workers did have harnesses, but the harnesses were not attached properly.
Source: “Fall Protections Land Contractor in SVEP,” Occupational Safety & Health, 4-19-13
Please visit our page on construction accidents.
