Two workers wearing safety helmets and harnesses attached to fall protection lifelines installing solar panels on a tiled roof.

Oregon OSHA Cites Contractor for Sixth Fall Protection Violation in Less than Two Years

Inspectors found a ladder too short to safely reach the roof and no records showing workers had been trained on fall hazards.

Employees of a Beaverton, Oregon, construction company wore full-body harnesses but were not tied off to any anchor while working on the roof of a two-story house in Molalla, exposing them to a fall of up to 19 feet, Oregon OSHA alleges.

The agency cited Luka's General Construction LLC for not implementing any fall protection system. State rules require employers to provide, install and use fall protection wherever employees could fall 6 feet or more.

A ladder at the site did not extend at least 3 feet above the roof surface, which workers need to safely get on and off at the top. The company also had no certification records showing employees had been trained to identify fall hazards and the steps to reduce them.

The fall protection and ladder violations were each a fifth repeat, meaning this was the company's sixth citation for each in less than two years. They carry penalties of $167,294 and $138,146. The certification violation, a first repeat, carries a $12,147 penalty. The penalties total $317,587, and Oregon OSHA penalties multiply for repeat offenses.

The company has corrected the fall protection and ladder violations and is under an order to correct the certification violation. Employers have 30 calendar days after receiving a citation to appeal, and Luka's General Construction has filed an appeal.

Oregon OSHA offers free consultation services that involve no citations or penalties at 800-922-2689 (toll-free in Oregon).

About the Author

Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.

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