Angel Peña, who worked for Crossland Construction Co., was laying decking on the roof of a metal warehouse when he stepped on some insulation and fell through to the concrete floor below. Peña died soon after he arrived at the hospital.
OSHA cited Crossland Construction with four alleged serious and one repeat violation of safety standards following a comprehensive inspection prompted by Peña 's death. Crossland is a general contractor and employs about 600 workers.
The four serious citations were issued for allegedly:
- Failing to ensure that personal fall arrest systems were used by employees working from the boom or basket of an aerial lift;
- Failing to train employees to recognize and avoid scaffold hazards; and
- Failing to ensure that the controlled decking zone partitioning off a safe section to work boundaries were properly designated, marked and enforced.
"Crossland Construction usually requires OSHA to obtain a warrant to make an inspection," said Paul Hansen, OSHA's area director in Little Rock, Ark. " ... Had the company followed OSHA-controlled decking zone standards, this tragedy could have been prevented."
An OSHA spokesperson said the repeat violation was for allegedly failing to ensure employees working on the leading edge of a controlled decking zone were protected from falls 30 feet or higher.
