Florida, N.Y. contractors cited over fatal falls
Reprints
Three construction companies in Florida were cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in connection with the death this past summer of a 31-year-old worker who died after falling during a roofing job.
Contractor Mad Dog Design and Construction Company Inc. and subcontractors Big Hammer LLC and Forgotten Coast Crane Service Inc. were cited over the fatal Aug. 17, 2022, fall at a work site in Tallahassee, Florida.
The worker was attempting to upright roof trusses from a crane when he fell 12 feet to the ground and suffered critical injuries that ultimately proved fatal.
Tallahassee, Florida-based Mad Dog Design and Construction Co. Inc. was cited for allowing workers to erect and brace roof trusses while standing on the top plates of walls with inadequate fall protection. The company was given a serious violation citation and received proposed penalties of $6,250.
Archer, Florida-based Big Hammer Inc. received serious violations for failing to ensure workers had appropriate fall protection and exposing workers to fall, struck-by and crushed-by hazards. It is facing proposed penalties of $25,001.
Crawfordville, Florida-based Forgotten Coast Crane Service Inc. received a serious violation for failing to proof-test custom-made hooks used to hoist roof trusses and for failing to maintain proper communication with the crane operator. The company faces proposed penalties of $8,037.
In a separate case, Nanuet, New York-based ALJ Home Improvement Inc. was cited for four willful and four serious violations and faces proposed fines of $687,536 after an employee fatally fell during a roofing job in August 2022 in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey.
Inspectors had observed employees on a roof 18 feet above ground without required fall protection.
Another one of the company’s employees died in a similar manner in 2019, leading to previous citations.
All companies who were cited have 15 business days to contest the citations.
