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Fall Hazard at Boston Construction
Site Leads to $60,000 Fine
A Fall River, Massachusetts
concrete contractor faces a total of $60,000 in proposed fines
from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) after two of its employees were exposed
to potentially fatal falls at a construction site in Boston's
Dorchester neighborhood.
D&M Concrete Floor Co.
was cited for alleged willful and serious violations of safety
standards following a March 1st OSHA inspection at a construction
site located at 700 Morrissey Blvd. OSHA found two D&M employees
working without fall protection on an unprotected section of
concrete deck located 15 feet, 8 inches above the ground. OSHA
standards require fall protection whenever employees work at
heights of six feet or greater.
"One slip or misstep
could have resulted in death or crippling injuries for these
workers," said Robert Hooper, OSHA's acting area director
for Boston and southeastern Massachusetts. "While it's fortunate
they were not injured, safety cannot and should never be a matter
of luck."
As a result, OSHA issued
the company one willful citation, with a proposed fine of $56,000,
for the lack of fall protection, and one serious citation, with
a $4,000 proposed fine, for failing to train employees to recognize
and avoid fall hazards.
OSHA defines a willful violation
as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference
to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
and regulations. A serious citation is issued when death or serious
physical harm is likely to result from a hazard about which the
employer knew or should have known.
D&M Concrete Floor Co.
has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to request
and participate in an informal conference with OSHA's area director
or to contest the citations before the independent Occupational
Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted
by OSHA's Braintree Area Office, telephone (617) 565-6924.
Under the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing
a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role
is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and
women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training,
outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging
continual process improvement in workplace safety and health.
Source: OSHA News Release 5/17/07
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