Portland Company Fined for Safety Violations
Oregon OSHA fines a roofing and painting company for $104,000.
- By Shereen Hashem
- Apr 16, 2021
West Coast Roofing and Painting Inc. was fined for $104,000 by Oregon OSHA. The fine comes from six job safety violations, including repeatedly failing to follow minimum requirements to protect workers from fall hazards that could potentially kill them.
According to an article, the division cited the company following an inspection which included an examination of work activity at a residential construction site in Portland, interviews of employees and a supervisor as well as a review of the company’s record keeping practices. Five out of the six violations cited by Oregon OSHA were repeated violations.
In one violation, the company did not implement the correct fall protection systems. Four employees were left in danger of falling between 11 to 12 feet. The company was cited $75,000 for not protecting workers from falling when working six feet or more above a lower level.
The failure to comply with the six-foot trigger-height requirement was a repeat violation for the seventh time since May 2018.
Oregon OSHA also cited the company for unsafe ladders where the side rails did not extend at least three feet above an upper landing surface. The proposed penalty is $24,000. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
“There is absolutely no good reason to violate clear and time-tested fall protection standards that we know are effective at protecting employees against fall hazards,” said Michael Wood, administrator for Oregon OSHA. “To repeatedly fail at implementing those standards serves just one purpose: to increase the risk to workers of serious injury or death.”
Other citations included: not ensuring eye protection was worn when needed, $1,400. The employer did not verify in writing if the employees were trained in fall protection systems, $1,000. The employer did not maintain proper documents for injury and illness for 2019, $200.
The citation also included a violation of not properly installing personal fall arrest system anchors. The proposed penalty is $2,400.
Oregon OSHA offers free resources to help improve workplace safety and health, you can view them here.
About the Author
Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.