OSHA cited Limon Masonry Inc., of Pharr, Texas, with citations for two separate inspections for safety violations and proposed penalties totaling $299,300.
Limon Masonry, a stucco and block contractor, employs about 200 workers.
Both alleged violations were discovered during scheduled construction inspections. On the first inspection, conducted Feb. 15, the company was cited $107,400 for three serious and two willful violations when workers were observed working on scaffolds with no fall protection.
OSHA standards require that fall protection be provided for employees working on a scaffold over 10 feet high.
For the second inspection, conducted in March, the company was cited $191,900 for four serious and three willful violations related again to the lack of fall protection standards.
OSHA''s Region IV, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana, has developed a local emphasis program to address unsafe construction work sites, particularly those with obvious fall hazards and violations
Falls are the leading cause of death among construction workers. They account for one-third of all construction fatalities and cause more than 68,000 serious injuries each year.
For information on fall protection compliance and training, visit OSHA''s technical links section online at www.osha.gov.
by Virginia Sutcliffe