OSHA cited Florida Roofing Experts, a Jacksonville, Fla., roofing contractor owned by Travis Slaughter, for failing to protect workers from falls at two separate residential worksites in Fleming Island, Fla., and Middleburg, Fla. The roofing company faces penalties totaling $1,007,717 for the alleged violations.
The agency initiated inspections in July 2019 against Florida Roofing Experts after receiving complaints of employees performing residential re-roofing activities without fall protection. As a result of the company’s extensive history of OSHA violations, OSHA issued eight willful citations for failing to protect employees from fall hazards.
“This employer has an extensive OSHA history with willful, serious, and repeat violations that has demonstrated an egregious disregard for the safety of their workers,” OSHA Atlanta, Ga., regional administrator Kurt Petermeyer, said in an agency news release. “The employer continues to allow employees to work without fall protection, and has made no reasonable effort to eliminate the risk.”
OSHA has investigated Florida Roofing Experts and its predecessor, Great White Construction, 19 times within the last seven years, resulting in 42 citations related to improper fall protection, ladder use, and eye protection. Florida Roofing Experts was fined the maximum allowable penalty of $132,598 for violations relating to exposing employees to fall hazards in April 2019 and was fined $129,336 in November 2018 for another fall hazard-related violation. Great White Construction was cited at three separate job sites between January 2017 and April 2017, with fines totaling $392,197.
“OSHA has extensive resources to help employers and workers understand how to comply with fall protection standards,” principal deputy assistant secretary of labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt said. “Fall protection and training requirements that address falls continue to be among the top 10 cited OSHA standards. Fatalities and injuries from falls are preventable.”
Florida Roofing Experts has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal hearing with their OSHA area director, or contest the findings.
