OSHA Fines Michigan Construction Company $57,600

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited B.O.S.S. Construction of Hillsdale, Mich., with one alleged willful and one serious safety violation for failing to protect workers from falls at a Monclova, Ohio, residential construction jobsite. Penalties total $57,600.

“Falling is the great safety hazard for workers on roofing projects, and B.O.S.S. Construction has demonstrated a pattern of disregard for its workers’ safety by failing to ensure fall protection is in place on jobsites,” said OSHA Area Director Jule Hovi. “That is not acceptable, and we are committed to seeing that the workers at this facility are provided a safe and healthy workplace.”

The inspection, which was initiated in August as part of OSHA’s local emphasis program on falls and residential construction, cited B.O.S.S. Construction with one willful violation carrying a proposed fine of $56,000 for failing to provide workers with fall protection on a pitched residential roof with a fall distance of up to 18 feet.

The serious citation is for failing to ensure that workers were wearing hard hats. That citation carries a penalty of $1,600.

B.O.S.S. Construction previously was cited in both March and July of 2009 with willful violations for failing to provide fall protection for workers. The company also was cited in June 2008 with a serious violation for failing to provide fall protection and training. Since 2006, the company has incurred $33,200 in OSHA penalties and has paid only $357.38 of those fines.

The company was referred to the OSHA Debt Collection Accountability Team in February 2010, when the company repeatedly failed to pay the fines or request an informal conference to contest the penalties.

The company 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.

Source: OSHA