New Hampshire Contractor Issued Third Citation Related to Fall Hazards in 6 Years
OSHA found employees at two worksites exposed to fall hazards.
- By Alex Saurman
- Mar 02, 2023
A New Hampshire contractor is facing more citations for fall hazards, marking the third time OSHA has cited the company for this since 2017.
The most recent citations for Ridge Runner Construction LLC follow an OSHA inspection at sites in Merrimack and Salem, New Hampshire, where the agency found employees exposed to falls—some as high as 20 feet—while working on roofs, according to a news release.
Ridge Runner Construction LLC received citations for, per the news release, incorrect ladder usage, lacking “effective fall protection training,” not having a competent person perform inspections and not “ensur[ing] proper anchorage for lifelines” at both sites.
OSHA also cited the contractor for not confirming employee use of eye and face protection—in this case, employees did not use eye protection while operating pneumatic nail guns—and using unapproved containers with flammable liquids at the site in Salem, per the citations.
"Ridge Runner Construction's continued failure to safeguard its employees against potentially deadly and disabling hazards is disturbing," said OSHA Area Director Joseph LaRose Sr. in Concord, New Hampshire, in the news release. "Falls are the leading cause of death in construction work, and employers must plan ahead, provide employees with effective tools and training, and conduct frequent inspections to ensure jobs are done safely."
Proposed penalties for the Merrimack and Salem inspections total $234,741.
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.