New Jersey Contractor Cited for Safety Violations After Employee’s 80-Foot Fall
OSHA proposed $485,580 in penalties to U.S. Tank Painting Inc.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jul 31, 2024
A New Jersey contractor, U.S. Tank Painting Inc., faces $485,580 in penalties after a worker fell 80 feet from a water tower in Bayville and sustained severe injuries. OSHA cited the company for three willful and 19 serious violations.
According to a recent release, the incident occurred in January 2024 when an employee fell while climbing a maintenance tube ladder inside the water tower. OSHA investigators determined the company had failed to provide or install the necessary safety equipment..
“An employee suffered numerous severe injuries because their employer did not make sure legally required fall protection was provided for workers climbing up and down the inside of an 8-story water tower,” OSHA Area Director Paula Dixon-Roderick in Marlton, New Jersey, said in a statement. “We intend to hold employers responsible when they fail to follow rules put in place to protect the safety and wellbeing of workers.”
The investigation revealed multiple safety lapses, including lack of fall protection, inadequate noise reduction measures and failure to evaluate hazards in confined spaces. OSHA found that U.S. Tank Painting also failed to provide continuous air monitoring equipment, appropriate respirator cartridges and training for crystalline silica hazards.
U.S. Tank Painting Inc. has been cited for similar violations in the past, including a lack of a rescue plan for confined spaces, which was noted in a 2017 citation. The company now has 15 business days to comply with the citations, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.