search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • Techos y Más Advisory Board
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Roofing Safety

Roofing Safety

OSHA Cites Massachusetts Contractor Following Worker's Fatal Fall from Ladder Scaffolding

By Chris Gray
Roofing Safety Scaffold Fall

Image by Russell Holden from Pixabay.

May 21, 2024

A Watertown, Mass. roofing contractor has been cited for safety violations after an employee suffered fatal injuries falling about 27 feet at a Brighton work site in September 2023.

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited OJR Construction Inc. in March 2017 and September 2019 for failing to protect employees from fall hazards by complying with required safety standards. According to the agency, the worker tried to carry materials and climb a ladder jack scaffold when they fell, sustaining fatal injuries.

OSHA inspectors found the company willfully exposed employees to fall hazards by not providing a safety net or personal fall arrest or guardrail systems, and by failing to have a program to train employees to recognize and address fall hazards. The agency’s investigation also determined that the company exposed workers to falls and other hazards by not complying with regulations that required: 

  • Installing guard rails on scaffolds or determining the tipping weight of scaffold planks that extended more than 18 inches over a supporting surface, exposing employees to falls over 15 feet.
  • Guaranteeing ladder side rails extended at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface being accessed.
  • Ensuring the area below the scaffold and ladders within the pathway of vehicular traffic were barricaded to prevent fall and struck by hazards.
  • Having a competent person on site to ensure the use of fall protection. 
  • Preventing debris from accumulating at the bottom of ladders to provide safe access to the worksite.
  • Providing and ensuring eye protection for employees using nail guns. 

“Two previous OSHA inspections made it clear to OJR Construction what protections had to be in place to protect employees from potentially debilitating or deadly falls, but the company chose to ignore its responsibilities,” said OSHA Area Director James Mulligan in Braintree, Mass. “As a result, a worker died needlessly, leaving family, friends and co-workers to grieve their loss and the company to face the consequences.”

Following its investigation, the agency cited OJR Construction Inc. for one willful violation and 10 serious violations and assessed $88,721 in proposed penalties, an amount set by federal statute. 

Based in Watertown, the company provides residential and commercial construction contracting services.

View the citations issued to OJR Construction Inc.

The employer has chosen to contest OSHA’s citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 1,069 construction workers died on the job. Of those deaths, 395 were related to falls from elevations.

KEYWORDS: commercial roofing fatal work injuries jobsite safety ladders Massachusetts OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) residential roofing violations

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Chrisgray
Chris Gray is the editor of Roofing Contractor and Roofing Supply Pro. He has worked in the fields of journalism and copywriting for nearly 20 years, ranging from local print newspapers to the multi-media promotion of international artists.


Reach him at 248-244-6498 or grayc@bnpmedia.com.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Roofing Contractor Group Publisher Jill Bloom

    Physics, the Power of Authenticity and You

    In February's Publisher's Note, Jill Bloom describes a...
    Editor's Note
    By: Jill Bloom
  • The Family Food Fare supermarket in Midland, Mich.

    ‘Rooftop Ninja’ Discovered Living on Roof, Inside Grocery Sign

    A bizarre tale out of Midland, Mich.: a woman dubbed the...
    Roofing News
    By: Bryan Gottlieb
  • A before and after heat measurement comparison

    How Hot is Too Hot in the Attic?

    If the ventilation is working, how hot should the attic...
    Steep Slope Roofing
    By: Paul Scelsi
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • TAMKO Titan XL Shingles
    Sponsored byTAMKO®

    Built for Business: How Titan XT® Shingles Keep Proving Their Value

  • An overhead view of a residential block
    Sponsored byCBIZ CompuData

    From Spreadsheets to Strategy: How Roofing Companies Can Transform Financial Operations

  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

Popular Stories

The Home Depot is weighing a bid for GMS. The potential offer would pit the retail giant against QXO Inc.

UPDATE: Home Depot Pushes QXO Out of GMS Pursuit

Brad Jacobs, chairman and CEO of QXO, offers $5 billion to acquire GMS, a major distributor of gypsum and interior building products.

QXO Sets Its Sights on GMS in $5 Billion Offer

Undocumented workers make up 36% of the U.S. roofing workforce, leaving contractors and workers alike especially vulnerable.

Roofing is Left Exposed by Trump’s Deportation Flip-Flop

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • OSHA

    OSHA Cites Florida Roofing Contractor After Investigation into Worker's Fatal Fall

    See More
  • OSHA

    OSHA Cites Texas Roofing Contractor for Role in Fatal Fall of 21-Year-Old Worker

    See More
  • roofers rappelling on a sloped commercial roof

    Missouri Contractor Fined $290K After Teen Worker’s Fatal Fall

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 1119077648.jpg

    Goss's Roofing Ready Reckoner: From Timberwork to Tiles, Fifth Edition

  • performance

    Performance-Based Building Design: From Below Grade to Floors, Walls, Roofs, and Windows to Finishes, 2nd Edition

See More Products
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing