Roofing Contractor Reaches Settlement After Fatal Fall
DME Construction Associates will pay $600,000 and implement enhanced fall protection and safety measures following an OSHA investigation into a fatal workplace fall.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jan 26, 2026
A New York roofing contractor has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor following an OSHA investigation into a fatal fall at a Long Island worksite.
DME Construction Associates Inc. will pay $600,000 in penalties and implement enhanced safety measures after OSHA determined that willful safety violations contributed to a worker’s death in August 2021. The employee fell approximately 18 feet through an unguarded skylight while working at a municipal facility in Oyster Bay, New York.
OSHA cited the company for exposing workers to fall hazards of up to 22 feet without providing required fall protection. Eight of the nine willful citations were issued as egregious per-instance violations, meaning each exposed employee was cited separately.
Under the settlement, DME must develop and maintain a comprehensive written safety program, ensure adequate fall protection equipment is available at all jobsites, notify OSHA at least one week before beginning new work, and allow warrantless OSHA inspections. The agreement also requires supervisors to complete OSHA 30-hour construction safety training.
The company and its owner are scheduled for sentencing later this year after pleading guilty to a criminal violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act related to the fatal incident.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco brings a strong and varied journalism background to her role at Occupational Health & Safety, having previously served as a multimedia editor, broadcast journalist, professor and reviewer across major news organizations. As Content Editor, she writes news and feature articles, hosts sponsor and editorial webinars, co-hosts the SafetyPod worker health and safety podcast, and manages the brand’s digital and social media presence. She is committed to informing and engaging the safety community through compelling reporting and conversations that support safer, healthier workplaces.