Roofing Company Faces Large Fall Hazard Fines
OSHA cited a Rochester, N.Y. roofing company for hazardous conditions that could lead to falls. The fines total nearly $160,000.
A Rochester, N.Y. roofing company has received fines from OSHA related to fall hazards that could cost the company $159,250. A.M. Stern, Inc. received one willful, one repeat, and five serious citations for failing to comply with fall prevention criteria. Both the willful and repeat violations carried a $70,000 fine apiece.
"Unfortunately, our inspectors all too often encounter job sites where fall protection is inadequate or absent, exposing workers to the number one killer in construction work," Arthur Dube, OSHA's Buffalo area director, said in a release on the OSHA website. "It's imperative that employers in western New York and elsewhere provide effective fall protection for their employees and ensure that their workers are trained to recognize and address fall hazards."
On more than one occasion, inspectors observed employees of A.M. Stern being exposed to unprotected building edges that could have caused falls of 15 to 30 feet.
With OSHA's fall prevention initiative, Stop Falls, the agency is working to prevent fall-related injuries and fatalities in the workplace.