A Connecticut and New Hampshire contractor have recently been cited and penalized by Region 1 OSHA for Willful violations for fall hazards on their projects. Both companies were working on Massachusetts job sites. These companies and their violations are posted on the OSHA Enforcement website. OSHA updates this site regularly and posts the companys' name, address, location of project, the standard violated, fine amounts and the status of settlements. It appears that fined contractors cited by OSHA are being reported in as little as 6 weeks.
Connecticut Contractor Cited For Willful Offense and Penalized $24,200.00 working in Springfield area of Massachusetts.
LKG Contracting of East Granby, Connecticut has been cited for the following offenses per the OSHA website. They were working on a project in Longmeadow, Mass when cited for a major Willful offense. Willful offenses can be as high as $70,000.00.
OSHA Definition WILLFUL: A willful violation is defined as a violation in which the employer either knowingly failed to comply with a legal requirement (purposeful disregard) or acted with plain indifference to employee safety.
On 5/2/2013 LKG received a WILLFUL penalty in the amount of $24,200.00 for violating OSHA Standard 19260501 B13.
The OSHA Standard reads "Residential Construction. Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet or more above lower levels shall be protected by guard rail systems, safety net system or personal fall arrest systems"
Also on 5/2/2013 LKG received a penalty in the amount of $3520.00 for a repeat violation for violating OSHA Standard 19261053 B01. This standard reads as follows:
"When portable ladders are used for access to an upper landing surface, the ladder side rails shall extend at least three feet above the upper landing surface to which the ladder is used to gain access...
When OSHA rides by a job site and there are workers on levels 6 feet or more above a lower level OSHA expects to see fall protection such as harnesses attached to lifelines or guard rails. In addition ladders need to be set three feet above the edge of the level being accessed. It is very easy for an OSHA officer to see these violations riding by a jobsite.
New Hampshire Company Fined By OSHA For Willful Fall Hazard Violation on Haverhill, Massachusetts Project.
Fined $35.000.00
Barry Billcliff DBA Merrimack Valley Roofing and Gutter from Danville, New Hampshire is posted on the OSHA enforcement website for violating OSHA Standard 1926501 B13. The same one as the Connecticut contractor above. His fine is also for a Willful offense.
In our Fall Protection training last week in Mansfield, Ma we showed contractors that OSHA is posting updated information of companies they are fining. They were unaware that this information is public. The OSHA site is often used by insurance companies, general contractors and knoledgable consumers to check out potential subs and contractors.
If you need help learning about what you need to do be in compliance with OSHA Fall Protection requirements use one of the following links:
Fall Protection Training For Mass and New Hampshire Contractors on 5/23/2013
Fall Protection Training for Connecticut Contractors on 6/13/2013
Private group training, New England and other states.
Fall Protection Training, Written Plans, Job Site Reviews
