Dive Brief:
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a New Jersey carpentry contractor for not providing adequate fall protection for workers and has fined the company $54,450.
- During a residential site inspection on a jobsite in Norristown, PA, OSHA found that Berlin Builders Inc., of Cinnaminson, NJ, exposed workers to safety hazards such as improper use of a portable ladder and a lack of ladder safety training, in addition to not supplying fall protection equipment. OSHA issued the company one serious and three repeat safety citations for the violations.
- According to OSHA, although Berlin was incorporated in March of 2015, it has already been inspected by OSHA 20 times in the tri-state area. OSHA has issued Berlin eight citations so far, all of them including violations for lack of fall protection and improper use of ladders.
Dive Insight:
"Despite knowing what OSHA safety standards should be followed to prevent falls and other injuries in residential construction work, Berlin Builders continues to ignore these safeguards. Jeopardizing worker safety will not be tolerated,” said Jean Kulp, director of OSHA's Allentown Area Office.
OSHA continues its fall protection campaign by cracking down on scaffold, ladder and other fall protection equipment violations. The agency recently cited a Wisconsin roofing contractor for not providing adequate fall protection, including allowing workers to work at heights of up to 25 feet without fall protection equipment, and fined the company $112,200.
OSHA also recently fined a New York contractor $85,000 for fall protection violations resulting in a worker death and a Pennsylvania contractor $62,000 for its third serious violation.
In August 2016, violators could see their fines increase 80% or more when OSHA raises its fine levels to fall into line with the Consumer Price Index — the first increase since 1990.
