OSHA Fines Company $136,000 for Fall Hazards
A contractor in New York receives a citation alleging seven violations, including one classified as willful.
A Staten Island, N.Y. contractor is facing $136,000 in fines related to fall hazards. OSHA has cited Blade Contracting, Inc. for seven safety violations, including one alleged willful violation.
The investigation occurred after an employee of the company fell from a sixth floor balcony at a site in New Jersey and was seriously injured. Moreover, some of these violations have been addressed with the company in the past. Two repeat violations involved workers unprotected on scaffolds and the balcony. The previous violations occurred in 2007 and 2010.
“Fall hazards are a leading cause of death in the construction industry, and therefore it is critical that employers provide workers with proper fall protection,” said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA’s Parsippany Area Office in a statement released by the agency. “Employers are responsible for ensuring safe and healthful workplaces, and will be held legally accountable when they fail to do so.”
Blade Contracting has 15 days to respond to the citations, either with payment or by contesting them before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.