Chicago Masonry Contractor Cited for Repeated Fall and Scaffolding Violations
Polo Masonry Builders Inc. has been cited for exposing employees to fall and scaffolding hazards while working on a building project. Now, the company has been placed in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
This week, OSHA cited Illinois company Polo Masonry Builders Inc. for violating fall and scaffolding standards. The group now faces a $252,136 fine and is a part of OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
The severity of the company’s violations does not stop at the dangers it posed to employees regarding fall protection and scaffolding. The company has repeatedly been warned and cited for its violations – actually, 13 times since 2010. OSHA inspectors cited the company for repeat and other-than-serious safety violations including its failure to install guardrail systems on platforms, provide safe access to scaffold work platforms, use rebar caps to protect employees from implement hazards, document fall protection training, and submit injury and illness logs.
“Employers are legally required to follow safety procedures on every jobsite to ensure that workers are protected from recognized workplace hazards,” said Loren Sweatt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for OSHA. “Installing safe work platforms and training workers about working at elevation protects workers from fatal falls.”
OSHA offers help and resources on how to prevent falls from ladders, scaffolds, and roofs on the OSHA Fall Protection webpage. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Read more about the news release on the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.