The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Illescas Brothers Construction Inc. of Paterson for exposing workers to 12 safety violations while performing masonry work on the exterior of a new home in Fort Lee. According to a report from the agency, proposed penalties total $65,340.
When OSHA inspectors arrived at the work site on June 28, they found several fall protection and scaffolding violations. For example, employees performing overhand bricklaying were permitted to climb the cross braces of the platform to access a work platform 24 feet above the ground, proper fall protection was not provided to employees trying to erect scaffolding and employees were allowed to work on an unstable scaffold 18 feet above the ground. (WCxKit)
Three repeat violations with $55,440 in penalties include failing to use proper scaffolding and provide fall protection for employees erecting scaffolding. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. Similar violations were cited in August 2007 at an Edgewater work site.
Six serious violations with $9,900 in penalties include failing to implement a respiratory protection plan, protect employees from falling material and provide safe access to a landing surface. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Three other-the-serious violations with no monetary penalties include the absence of a portable fire extinguisher, failing to provide a written hazard communications program and failing to make a material safety data sheet readily available. (WCxKit)
An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
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