Roofing firm cited for lacking fall protection

A Florida roofing contractor has been cited and faces a proposed $56,000 penalty from federal regulators for exposing its employees to fall hazards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Edgewater, Florida-based AWS Roofing Services Inc. last week after inspectors saw employees installing metal roofing on a new three-story, multi-family building without fall protection in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, according to an agency news release issued Thursday.

OSHA issued one willful citation for not providing a personal fall system to protect workers from falling from heights up to 30 feet, the agency said.

“Falls in construction continue to be a leading cause of occupational fatalities,” Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville, Florida, said in a statement. “Employers have a legal obligation to ensure their workers can perform their duties safely, which includes providing any necessary equipment, such as a fall protection system, on all job sites.”

The company could not be immediately reached for comment.