US Department of Labor highlights safe construction practices during 2026 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls

US Department of Labor highlights safe construction practices during 2026 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging construction employers and workers nationwide to participate in the 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, taking place May 4-8, 2026.The nationwide event focuses on preventing falls, the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry, and reinforces the importance of planning, training, and hazard awareness to protect workers.Because falls continue to pose a significant risk in construction, OSHA is making prevention a top priority. Through efforts like the Safety Stand-Down, the agency is working to drive real change and emphasizing that lasting progress is achieved through employers, workers, and industry partners working together.OSHA encourages employers to pause work throughout the week and engage employees ...

Illinois construction contractor continues to ignore deadly fall hazards, faces $263K in fines after Park Ridge inspection finds roofers exposed to risks

Illinois construction contractor continues to ignore deadly fall hazards, faces $263K in fines after Park Ridge inspection finds roofers exposed to risks
PARK RIDGE, IL – A Roselle contractor’s history of violating federal safety standards and ignoring safety citations and penalties – and a willingness to expose its workers to serious injuries or worse – continues, as federal inspectors found during their Nov. 8, 2021, investigation at a Park Ridge residential construction site.    Currently, Emerald Inc. owes the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration more than $378,561 in penalties from six previous inspections dating back to 2018. In addition, the company  has not responded to citations issued by OSHA in 2018, 2020 and 2021. The unpaid penalties have been referred for debt collection. “Emerald Inc. continues to put its workers at risk of the construction industry’s most cited safety hazard – a fall from heights – which can leave workers with serious debilitating injuries or worse,” explained OSHA Chicago North Area Director Angeline Loftus in Des Plaines, Illinois. “The company’s disregard of federal safety standards and willingness to gamble with its workers’ lives is disturbing. OSHA will continue to cite the company for its violations and hold them legally responsible for the dangerous risks they are taking.” In the agency’s most recent investigation, an OSHA inspector found Emerald exposing a foreman and a roofer to deadly fall hazards as they worked at heights of up to 22 feet above the ground with inadequate fall protection. The investigation determined Emerald had failed to equip workers with adequate fall protection equipment and did not train workers on the proper use of powered industrial vehicles, ensure the use of head and eye protection and allowed workers to use ladders improperly. As a result of the Park Ridge investigation, OSHA issued Emerald Inc. one willful and five repeat citations, and proposed additional penalties of $263,226. In late 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 351 of the 1,008 construction workers who died on the job, were deaths related to falls from elevation. OSHA’s stop falls website offers safety information and video presentations in English and Spanish to teach workers about hazards and proper safety procedures. Learn more about OSHA’s annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with each of OSHA’s area directors, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Learn more about OSHA.

Published at May 22, 2022 at 05:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Settlement affirms willful OSHA violations, $215K penalties, against contractors for fall hazards at multiple New Jersey work sites

St. Louis contractor faces $258K in fines after exposing roofing workers to potentially deadly fall hazards 5 times in 7 weeks at Wentzville worksites

US Department of Labor awards $86M to 14 states for investment in skills training programs for critical in-demand, emerging industries