At 36.9 percent, falls were the leading cause of fatal construction accidents in 2013, according to the United States Department of Labor.
Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a Jacksonville, Florida contractor for failing to provide its workers with fall protection, according to an OSHA Regional News Release.
Reportedly, the company, Jasper Contractors, which handles roofing projects, committed six safety violations, including:
- Allowing employees without fall protection to perform roofing work at heights of 8 to 12 feet
- Failing to have employees wear eye protection
- Failing to extend the side rails of a ladder 3 feet over the upper landing surface to provide roof access
- Failing to have first aid onsite for workers
- Allowing employees on the ground to work without head protection
“Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry, which is why employers must ensure their workers use fall protection systems properly,” said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA area director in Jacksonville.
If OSHA Fines My Employer for Negligence, Will That Help My Case?
If OSHA has fined your employer, a qualified and experienced attorney might be able to use that fact to your benefit in a civil trial.
Did You Know: Falls are part of the “fatal 4” construction accidents, including electrocution, caught in or between, and struck by an object.
Colson Hicks Eidson – Injury Attorneys
Source: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=26799