OSHA Cites Florida Roofing Contractor in Connection with Worker Death

Juan Zuniga Ramos, principal of JZ Exteriors and Repairs LLC, reportedly failed to provide fall protection and train workers on its use. OSHA says the contractor has accused more than $30,000 in unpaid fines.

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Gotha, Fla.-based Kasper Roofing & Construction Inc. faces $134,510 in penalties after receiving an OSHA citation in connection with the death of a worker.

OSHA said in a release that inspectors determined that an employee was performing residential roofing activities without fall protection when he fell and suffered fatal injuries on April 12. The worker was not identified by OSHA.

OSHA also cited the company for failing to provide fall protection training to employees and conduct frequent inspections to ensure employees were utilizing fall protection.

"Workers can be protected from falls by the use of harnesses and other fall protection devices," said OSHA Tampa Area Office Director Les Grove. "This tragedy could have been prevented if the employer had complied with OSHA's fall protection standards."

The citation was issued Oct. 11 and consists of three alleged violations

The “serious” violation claims the company “did not provide a training program for each employee potentially exposed to fall hazards to enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and the procedures to be followed in order to minimize these hazards.”

The violation notes that employees exposed to fall hazards while installing roofing tiles on a 7:12 pitch roof “on or about April 12, 2018 had not been provided fall protection training.” The company faces fines of $5,174 for the serious violation.

A second “willful” violation notes that there were no guardrails, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest system — nor any other fall protection measures — at the site. Further, the violation notes employees “were exposed to an approximately 10 feet 3 inch fall hazard” on the day of the fatal accident. Kasper Roofing faces a $129,336 penalty for the violation.

OSHA also wrote Kasper an “other-than-serious” violation for not providing “frequent and regular inspections on the job site to ensure employees wore fall protection.”

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.