Personal Injury Law Blog
Illinois roofer fined for failing to protect workers from risk of falls
An Illinois roofing company received citations for one willful, one repeated and one serious safety violation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on April 13. The agency proposed to fine the South Elgin-based contractor $57,950.
OSHA inspectors reported seeing four Apex Exteriors Inc. employees exposed to the risk of falling over 25 feet from a roof. The workers were installing shingles at a residential construction site without proper fall protection in January. The company also did not follow ladder safety regulations. According to OSHA standards, fall protection is required when employees are working six feet or higher above the next lower level.
The latest incident was the seventh time since 2010 that Apex Exteriors has been cited for fall violations at Illinois work sites. OSHA statistics reveal falls from elevation are responsible for 40 percent of deaths among construction workers. “One false step can be debilitating or fatal to a worker without fall protection,” OSHA’s North Aurora, Illinois, area director Jake Scott said in a statement.
The agency held its annual National Safety Stand-Down Week between May 2 and May 6. Their goal is to encourage employers nationwide to discuss workplace safety with employees. The campaign also urges employers to commit to implementing fall safety measures to protect employees and prevent accidents.
