Contractor Cited After Truss Collapse Fatally Injures Worker

Contractor Cited After Truss Collapse Fatally Injures Worker

OSHA cited the Florida company and proposed penalties of $18,853.

A contractor in Florida is being cited after a truss collapse fatally injured one worker

According to a press release, roof trusses at a site in Orange City, Florida, collapsed and struck a worker, who was fatally injured. OSHA cited Top Rank Construction, the framing contractor, for not following safety standards and not ensuring the “trusses were braced to resist buckling, leaning or collapsing.” OSHA proposed penalties of $18,853.

"The risks associated with installing roof trusses are well known in the construction industry, and yet Top Rank Construction failed to follow established requirements to ensure the work was done safely," explained OSHA Acting Area Office Director Heather Sanders in Jacksonville, Florida in the press release. "Installing trusses safely requires that employers conduct a hazard assessment and address the hazards to properly protect workers."

The general contractor on site, Fulcrum Construction Group LLC, of Alabama, was also cited for a serious violation. OSHA proposed penalties of $10,151.

Struck by incidents fatally injure many workers every year. In 2020, 468 died from injuries when they were struck by objects or equipment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Both companies have 15 business days to respond.

About the Author

Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.

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