OSHA’s investigators said the company did not provide the employees on the roof with protection against fall hazards, such as guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, positioning devices or fall restraint systems. The work being completed fell under OSHA’s steel erection standard, and OSHA said Elite Roofing Services Inc. failed to train each employee on recognizing and mitigating fall hazards before conducting the steel erection work.

The agency issued six willful violations for the fall hazards – one violation for each exposed worker – and one serious violation for not training the workers. The proposed penalties for the violations total $522,527. 

“Despite knowing the risks from falls and the responsibility to safeguard its employees against them, Elite Roofing Services Inc. chose to disregard the law and the safety of its workers,” said OSHA Area Director Kevin Sullivan in Westbury, Long Island. “Supplying and requiring the use of fall protection equipment and training workers properly on its use can help prevent devastating consequences such as this from recurring.”

Elite Roofing Services Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and 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. 

View the citations here.

Calls to Elite Roofing Services Inc. were not returned as of publication.