Disregard of Fall Prevention Standards Leads to Death of Worker Who Fell Through Skylight
OSHA says proper protection could have avoided the "preventable" fatality.
A man in Jacksonville, Fla., crashed through a skylight and fell 24 feet to the ground while suffering critical injuries. He later died of his injuries. OSHA investigated the scene and found Pinnacle Roofing Contractors Inc. had failed to install protective cages over the skylights and cited the company for two willful and two serious violations, according to the agency's announcement.
"While some skylights on the warehouse roof had safeguards installed, workers were not protected from fall hazards sufficiently. If Pinnacle Roofing had been more diligent, John Miles would be with us today," said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville.
OSHA issued two willful citations to the company for allowing employees to work at heights greater than 6 feet without guardrails or fall protection and for not installing protective systems on the skylights. Two serious citations were issued for failing to ensure the edge of the roof was marked and for not installing skylight protection systems capable of supporting a worker's fall.