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OSHA cites contractor after employee injured in roof fall

Posted On: Dec. 5, 2017 5:39 PM CST

OSHA cites contractor after employee injured in roof fall

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Benco Builders of the Virginias Inc. after an employee suffered serious injuries from a 19-foot fall off a roof.

The Princeton, West Virginia-based contractor faces proposed penalties totaling $86,916.

In June, OSHA inspected a worksite where Benco was the general contractor and issued a willful citation for failure to provide and require employees to wear fall protection during roofing work, OSHA said Monday in a statement. The agency also cited Benco with eight serious violations for exposing workers to electrical, scaffolding and forklift hazards, and for providing defective and uninspected fall protection equipment.

OSHA also issued one other-than-serious citation for not developing and implementing a written hazard communication program for hazardous materials, according to the statement.

“Falls remain the leading cause of injury and death in the construction industry. Employers must provide proper fall protection and follow all safety requirements to prevent incidents like this from occurring,” Prentice Cline, Charleston, West Virginia-based OSHA area office director, said in the statement.

A spokesperson for Benco Builders could not be immediately reached for comment.