CHARLESTON, W.V. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Roofing Solutions LLC — based in Charleston, W.V. — for exposing employees to falls and other safety and health hazards at worksites in Charleston and Nitro, W.V.
The company faces $202,988 in penalties.
OSHA initiated an inspection after receiving complaints alleging that employees were working on roofs without fall protection. The company received citations for failing to provide employees with proper fall protection and training on fall hazards.
Roofing Solutions also failed to have a required safety and health program, and ensure that employees engaged in roofing activities used hardhats and proper ladders.
“The employer’s failure to take appropriate steps to protect employees from falls and other hazards exposed workers to serious, potentially fatal injuries,” said OSHA West Virginia Area Director Prentice Cline. “Employers are required by law to use personal fall arrest systems when workers perform roofing work.”
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
The full citation can be viewed here.
In August, OSHA revealed that fall protection violations was the most cited violation for 2019. Sadly, there have been reports in the past month alone of roofers falling to their death, highlighting the seriousness of this issue.
Last month, a roofing contractor in Ohio received a sentence of three years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter regarding the death of an employee who fell from a three-story roof.
