New Jersey Contractor Faces OSHA Penalties for Safety Violations

New Jersey Contractor Faces OSHA Penalties for Safety Violations

The company was cited for exposing workers to fall and struck-by hazards.

JM Brother Construction LLC—a residential construction firm that offers services such as roofing and masonry—is now facing proposed penalties of $77,684 following an OSHA investigation.

According to a recent release, the agency found the Irvington, New Jersey-based contractor exposed workers to potentially fatal falls of up to 23 feet and other safety issues at a worksite in Hasbrouck Heights. OSHA inspectors observed employees of JM Brother Construction performing roofing work on a two-story home without the required fall protection systems.

Additionally, the company was cited for exposing workers to struck-by hazards by allowing them to ride without seat belts in parts of the company’s cargo vans not designated for passengers, exposing workers to head impact injuries and permitting the unsafe use of a ladder. Collectively, the fall hazards and other citations comprise one willful and three serious violations.

“Our investigation found JM Brother Construction jeopardizing the safety of its workers by failing to provide required life-saving fall protection,” OSHA Area Director Lisa Levy in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, said in a statement. “Falls remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the construction industry, making it imperative that employers comply with federal safety laws before a worker suffers potentially debilitating injuries or worse.”

JM Brother Construction can now comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings within 15 business days from the receipt of the citations and penalties.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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