OSHA has cited Palm Bay, Fla.-based Hough Roofing for exposing employees to fall hazards after a worker suffered a fatal injury falling at a worksite in Melbourne, Fla., according to a news release from the agency. The roofing company faces $26,142 in penalties for the alleged violations.
Inspectors determined the employer failed to ensure employees used fall protection, failed to train employees to recognize fall hazards and how to properly use a portable ladder, and failed to ensure portable ladders extended three feet above the upper landing. The agency initiated the inspection as part of OSHA’s Regional Emphasis Program for Falls in Construction, enacted in October of 2018 to address the high number of fall hazards found in the construction industry.
“Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in construction,” said OSHA Tampa, Fla., area director Les Grove. “Tragedies like this can be prevented if the employer ensures workers are provided and utilize fall protection during the course of all roofing operations.”
Hough Roofing has 15 business days from the receipt of the OSHA citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with their OSHA area director, or contest the findings.
