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Contractor admits to OSHA violation in worker death

Posted On: May. 17, 2021 1:49 PM CST

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A New Jersey general contractor admitted in federal court to willfully violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards that led to the death of a worker, the U.S. Department of Justice reported Thursday.

Derico Ferreira, owner of Newark-based Trustworthy LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of willful violation of OSHA standards by failing to provide fall protection to employees installing a roof on a two-story home.

In October 2016, while Mr. Ferreira and four workers were working on the roof of the home, one of the workers — who was not wearing any fall protection at the time — fell and died from his injuries. The company did not have a guard rail installed and provided no personal fall protection to its workers on the roof, according to court documents.

If the court accepts Mr. Ferreira’s plea agreement, the company will be on probation for five years, be required to pay approximately $300,000 in restitution to the estate of the worker and comply with specific training procedures and other conditions to improve safety.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 15.