OSHA Fines NY Contractor $522K After Fatal Fall on the Jobsite
Originally Published by: OSHA — November 3, 2023
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A federal workplace safety investigation has found a Huntington contractor could have prevented a roofer's fatal fall at a Glen Cove worksite on April 14, 2023, by following legally required safeguards designed to prevent falls.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the deceased worker and other employees of Elite Roofing Services Inc. were installing metal decking on a flat industrial roof at Garvies Point Road when the decedent fell through an opening to a concrete floor nearly 20-feet below.
OSHA's investigators learned the company did not provide the employees on the roof with protection against fall hazards, such as guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, positioning devices or fall restraint systems. The work being completed fell under OSHA's steel erection standard, and Elite Roofing Services Inc. failed to train each employee on recognizing and mitigating fall hazards before conducting the steel erection work.
The agency issued six willful violations for the fall hazards – one violation for each exposed worker – and one serious violation for not training the workers. The agency has proposed $522,527 in penalties for the violations.
"Despite knowing the risks from falls and the responsibility to safeguard its employees against them, Elite Roofing Services Inc. chose to disregard the law and the safety of its workers," said OSHA Area Director Kevin Sullivan in Westbury, Long Island. "Supplying and requiring the use of fall protection equipment and training workers properly on its use can help prevent devastating consequences such as this from recurring."
Elite Roofing Services Inc has 15 business days from receipt of its 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.
Learn more about OSHA, fall protection in construction and protecting roofing workers.