Department of Labor alleges subcontractor knowingly exposed employees to asbestos hazards during former Waukegan hospital demolition

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Department of Labor alleges subcontractor knowingly exposed employees to asbestos hazards during former Waukegan hospital demolition WAUKEGAN, IL – Alleging that K.L.F. Enterprises — a Chicago demolition subcontractor — knew it was exposing its employees and others to the serious dangers of asbestos at a Waukegan work site, the U.S. Department of Labor has cited the company for 36 safety and health violations after a federal investigation. In November 2023, investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened a complaint inspection after they observed K.L.F. employees not wearing protective equipment amid piles of debris and steel I-beams during structural demolition of the eight-story former Lakes Behavioral Health hospital. OSHA determined that K.L.F. continued demolition activities — disturbing and removing asbestos used to fireproof the building’s interior — despite recognizing the debris piles outside were likely asbestos-laden. The company did
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US Department of Labor obtains decision to revoke Lynn contractor’s license for repeated defiance of safety regulations, failure to pay $300K in penalties

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US Department of Labor obtains decision to revoke Lynn contractor’s license for repeated defiance of safety regulations, failure to pay $300K in penalties
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards has revoked William Trahant’s construction supervisor’s license for at least two years as the result of a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Labor citing seven separate citations issued to his company since 2014 for violating federal fall safety regulations, as well as his continued failure to pay more than $300,000 in related penalties.The department’s Regional Solicitor’s Office and Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Boston presented evidence against Trahant — owner of William Trahant Jr. Construction Inc. — before the board’s hearing officer and obtained a favorable decision on Nov. 17, 2023, which revoked his license. In the decision, the hearing officer ordered Trahant to return his license and cease any work on active building permits he holds until a successor license holder is substituted or Trahant regains his license. OSHA estimates that Trahant currently holds a number of active building permits in Massachusetts. For example, looking at just five communities, it appears that he held hundreds of such permits between 2020 and 2022. Trahant Jr. Construction Inc. is based in Lynn, Massachusetts.“Employers must never overlook the importance of worker safety, especially when it comes to protecting construction industry workers from falls from elevation,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton in Boston. “William Trahant’s continued failure to protect his employees from the industry’s leading cause of death led the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards to take decisive action.”The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires construction supervisor’s licenses for projects that meet certain thresholds and can revoke them when holders fail to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act.“This decision reinforces that construction industry employers must comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act and make worker safety a priority,” explained Regional Solicitor of Labor Maia Fisher in Boston. “Employers who fail to comply with the federal workplace safety standards risk serious consequences, both federal and state.”OSHA’s Andover area office conducted the inspections. The department’s Office of the Solicitor in Boston litigated the case.The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 1,056 construction workers died on the job in 2022, with 423 of those fatalities related to falls from elevation, making it the leading cause of industry deaths. OSHA’s stop falls website offers safety information and video presentations in English and Spanish to teach workers about fall hazards and proper safety procedures.Learn more about OSHA.

Published at January 08, 2024 at 04:00AM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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