On May 7, 48-year-old Northeast Framing Inc. worker Jose Rodriguez of Worcester, Mass. fell to his death at a job site.
OSHA immediately opened an investigation and discovered numerous violations.
“Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. Employers must provide fall protection and adequately train workers to identify occupational hazards that can cause injury,” said James Mulligan, OSHA area office director.
Agency inspectors determined that Northeast Framing Inc. failed to provide adequate fall protection for employees, despite repeated notifications from the project’s general contractor.
The company also failed to train employees to recognize and avoid fall, ladder, electrical, and other hazards; provide adequate documentation regarding the safety of forklifts; perform regular jobsite safety inspections; notify OSHA of the employee’s work-related death; and provide injury and illness logs to OSHA in a timely manner.
Northeast Framing Inc. faces $311,330 in penalties, the maximum allowed by law. The company has 15 days to respond to the agency.