US Department of Labor, Missouri roofing contractor reach agreement after teen worker’s fatal fall in 2023

US Department of Labor, Missouri roofing contractor reach agreement after teen worker’s fatal fall in 2023 JAMESPORT, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor reached an agreement with Jamesport roofing contractor John Troyer after a federal investigation determined he violated federal laws, resulting in a teen worker’s fatal fall in March 2023.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Troyer, owner of Troyer Construction LLP which operates as Troyer Roofing & Coatings, failed to provide workers with required fall protection. A separate investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found he violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by employing minors illegally in roofing work from May 2022 to June 2023.Under the agreement, Troyer must pay $290,000, which includes $156,259 in OSHA penalties, $15,000 in child labor penalties, and $118,741 in criminal fines to the U.S. Department of Justice. The company will also enroll in...

US Department of Labor obtains decision to revoke Lynn contractor’s license for repeated defiance of safety regulations, failure to pay $300K in penalties

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

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Phoenix drywall, painting contractor must pay more than $7.4M in wages, damages after deliberately denying overtime to over 1,400 employees

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

Department of Labor encourages construction industry employers, stakeholders to join 2024 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls