Federal investigators cite Florida roofing contractor for willfully, repeatedly ignoring fall protection standards, propose $349K in fines

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Federal investigators cite Florida roofing contractor for willfully, repeatedly ignoring fall protection standards, propose $349K in fines ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Florida roofing company for willfully putting workers at risk of falling at residential construction sites. Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that on Jan. 21, 2026, Orchids Builders LLC exposed workers to a 10-foot fall hazard when it failed to provide them with fall protection while they installed sheathing on a sloped roof at a Rockledge worksite. On March 10, 2026, OSHA investigators found the employer exposed a worker to a 9-foot fall hazard while installing metal hurricane clips at another Rockledge worksite. OSHA also found that Orchids Builders failed to prepare and maintain written fall protection training certificates for employees at both worksites, did not ensure workers had eye protection while using nail guns,...
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Department of Labor awards $5M to train, expand pathways for women for Registered Apprenticeships, nontraditional occupations

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Department of Labor awards $5M to train, expand pathways for women for Registered Apprenticeships, nontraditional occupations
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $5 million to organizations in seven states to increase the numbers of women in Registered Apprenticeship programs and help connect them with good-paying careers in nontraditional occupations where the Biden-Harris administration’s historic infrastructure, manufacturing and clean energy investments are creating sharp job increases. The announcement of the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants was made at AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington. Department leaders joined AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler to showcase the work of the labor organization’s Working for America Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. The institute received a $713,892 grant to support its pre-apprenticeship program’s effort to recruit women of color in the region.“To fulfill the promise of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and to rebuild the nation’s economy from the middle out and the bottom up, we can’t afford to leave any talent untapped,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Today, we announced grants that will support organizations that are training women for good-paying jobs — including union jobs — while ensuring an equitable workforce development system that helps to provide a talent pipeline for employers in critical sectors.”  This is the department’s largest award of WANTO grants, a 47 percent increase from 2022. “Women make up nearly half of the nation’s workforce but remain vastly underrepresented in industries like construction, which needs more skilled workers needed to fill these high-paying jobs,” said Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon. “The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations program prepares women for promising careers and provides the technical assistance to employers and unions to recruit and retain more women effectively.” The WANTO program seeks to increase employment of women in apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations by supporting community-based organizations that develop pre-apprenticeship programs to help women succeed in industries where they are typically underrepresented. These industries include construction, advanced manufacturing, energy, technology and transportation. A portion of the grants awarded can be used to provide participants with support services such as child care, transportation, tuition and work-related gear. Administered by the department’s Women’s Bureau and Employment and Training Administration, the 2023 WANTO grants will fund training programs in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington state. The WANTO grant recipients are as follows:RecipientCityStateAwardAFL-CIO Working for America Institute Birmingham AL $713,892 Moore Community House Biloxi MS $714,518 Hope Renovations Chapel Hill NC $713,518 Vincentian Ohio Action Network Columbus OH $714,518 Rhode Island Women in the Trades Providence RI $714,518 SER-Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc. Houston TX $714,518 Ada Developers Academy Seattle WA $714,518 

Published at September 27, 2023 at 05:00PM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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