For the fourth time in as many years, a roofing contractor was cited for exposing employees to what could be fatal falls.
OSHA cited William Trahant, Jr. Construction Inc. of Lynn, Mass., for one willful, one repeat and three serious violations.
The violations include: lack of fall protection for employees repairing an asphalt shingle roof on a three-story house; inadequate anchorage points for fall arrest lines; not training employees to recognize and address fall hazards; using a damaged portable ladder, with split rails and bent rungs, to access the roof; and an employee working on the ground beneath the roofers lacked a hardhat, exposing him to falling objects.
The willful and repeat citations relate to the company’s fall protection shortcomings. William Trahant, Jr. Construction was previously cited for similar violations in August 2014 for a worksite in Revere, Mass., in September 2012 for a site in Peabody, Mass., and in July 2011 for another site in Peabody.
"Trahant Construction continues to demonstrate a wanton disregard for employee safety, exposing its employees to deadly or disabling injuries on multiple occasions," said Anthony Covello, OSHA's acting area director in Andover. "Falls are the leading cause of death in construction work. This employer must take steps to effectively train and enforce a culture of safety for himself and his employees."
OSHA proposed fines of $43,560.