US Department of Labor investigation finds Chicago construction employer exposed workers to continued safety hazards, proposes $265K in penalties

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US Department of Labor investigation finds Chicago construction employer exposed workers to continued safety hazards, proposes $265K in penalties CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Calumet City-based residential construction and carpentry employer after two separate investigations into its continued failure to provide fall protection for workers. The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated two worksites operated by Martin Araujo – doing business as Araujo Construction Corp. – and found that carpenters and general construction laborers were installing roof rafters and roof sheeting without fall protection, exposing them to falls of up to 25 feet. OSHA cited Araujo Construction with two willful violations for not providing fall protection, while working from heights during residential construction at the two worksites. OSHA also cited the employer with nine repeat safety violations for failing to provide head and eye protection, l...
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Illinois contractor exposes employees to deadly fall hazards twice in 2 months at homes under construction in Hanover Park subdivision

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Illinois contractor exposes employees to deadly fall hazards twice in 2 months at homes under construction in Hanover Park subdivision
HANOVER PARK, IL – Federal workplace safety inspectors found an Illinois construction contractor — cited seven times since 2020 — again exposing employees doing framing work to the risk of deadly falls from elevation at two homes under construction in Hanover Park in December 2023 and February 2024. Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed employees of Maestro Construction Inc. working at heights up to 20 feet without adequate fall protection. Inspectors reported that some workers put on fall protection safety gear but wore it incorrectly, making it useless. The agency also learned the Bolingbrook company failed to certify that employees had been trained in fall hazards or the required use of personal protective equipment. In addition, inspectors found damaged electrical cords in use. “Contractors like Maestro Construction that willfully ignore federal safety standards for fall protection are endangering the lives and well-being of their employees,” said OSHA Area Director Jacob Scott in Naperville, Illinois. “Despite being cited seven times since 2020, this company continues to show a callous disregard for their employees’ safety, and we will continue to hold them accountable for their defiance of regulations.”OSHA identified the violations in December and February at two nearby worksites on Greenbrook Court, and issued Maestro Construction two willful, two repeat and two serious violations and one other-than-serious violation. The agency has proposed $264,407 in penalties. The agency cited Maestro Construction four times in 2023 for fall-related violations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2022, 1,056 construction workers died on the job, with 423 of those fatalities related to falls from elevation, slips or trips.  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 June 12, 2024 at 05:00AM
Read more at https://dol.gov

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