Roofing contractor fined for not providing fall protection

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Houston-based roofing contractor for exposing workers to fall hazards and has proposed a nearly $54,000 fine.

Peak Roofing Inc. was cited on Wednesday for one willful violation for exposing workers at an Abilene, Texas, jobsite to falls from heights greater than 6 feet without providing fall protection, according to an agency news release issued on Thursday. The company has been cited for exposing workers to fall hazards at three different workplace locations in Texas since 2011, the agency said.

OSHA is seeking to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs.

“Falls in construction are preventable,” Elizabeth Linda Routh, OSHA's area director in Lubbock, Texas, said in the statement. “It is the employer's responsibility to plan ahead to provide the right equipment and train everyone to use the equipment safely.”

A company spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.