Dive Brief:

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued one willful and one serious citation to a Jacksonville, FL, roofer for fall protection and other safety violations and fined the company $128,077.
• OSHA said an investigation revealed that Rogero & Williams Roofing Contractors failed to provide fall protection for employees working higher than 6 feet and neglected to ensure that workers had appropriate eye protection while performing a reroofing job in St. Augustine, FL.
• This instance marks the fourth time in one year that the company has been cited for fall-related violations, according to Brian Sturtecky, OSHA area director in Jacksonville.

Dive Insight:

Sturtecky said that Rogero & Williams must take action to make sure its employees are protected from fall hazards. "No deadline is so urgent that Rogero & William's management cannot follow proper safety procedures to conduct their work in a safe manner," he said in a release.

Just last week, OSHA announced that it had cited and fined the nation's largest homebuilder, D.R. Horton ($65,591), and subcontractor Garcia Carpentry ($39,194) for fall protection violations at one of D.R. Horton's developments in Ocala, FL. OSHA alleged that Horton failed to ensure that Garcia's employees were protected from falls after an investigator saw Garcia employees installing roof sheathing without fall protection. The agency said workers were also using the top step of a ladder to enter and exit roof trusses.

Also this month, OSHA cited an Illinois roofer for fall protection violations, marking its 19th citation in 10 years. The agency issued Barringer Brothers Roofing two willful, two repeated and six serious safety violations for failing to provide proper fall protection and fined the company $89,100. The past violations were incurred through the various companies owned by Robert Barringer III, and OSHA said he is currently in default on $267,900 in previous fines.The agency added that Barringer is now part of its Severe Violator Program, which monitors repeat safety violators through increased inspections.

OSHA's focus on fall protection is part of its Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction in response to the fact that 40% of preventable construction worker deaths are caused by falls.