A building contractor in American Samoa faces more than $1 million in fines for continuing to violate workplace-safety laws. Paramount Builders of Pago Pago was issued 21 citations after a January inspection.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the charges in a July 6 news release, stating the "building construction company’s long history of violations of federal workplace safety and health laws continued after inspections at two American Samoa work sites where the employer exposed workers to numerous dangerous hazards."
DOL's Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted inspection in January determined Paramount Builders "once again" endangered employees and cited the company for 21 violations, including nine serious, six willful and six repeat serious violations, the release reports. OSHA also proposed $1,088,681 in penalties, the release states.
Paramount Builders was determined to have failed to use required guardrail, safety-net or personal fall-arrest systems; to equip stairways with rails along unprotected sides or edges; ensure workers had appropriate eye and face protection against flying particles, molten metal, chemicals, acids, caustic liquids, or "potentially hazardous light radiation;" or to safely install equipment per manufacturer's instructions, according to the release.
Prior to the January inspection and resultant citations for violations, Paramount Builders had a history of safety violations, dating back to a 2013 fatal 24-foot fall of a worker without fall protection who was painting rafters. OSHA has cited Paramount Builders with 22 serious violations in 26 inspections since 2018, the release reports.
Paramount Builders, a general contractor construction company of large construction projects such as the Parliament building, has 15 days of receipt of citations to comply, request a hearing, or contest the findings, according to the release.
“Paramount Builders has historically shown its willingness to ignore federal laws that protect its employees from being exposed to serious injuries and potentially fatal hazards, and its intentional disregard must end,” Honolulu OSHA Area Office Director Roger Forstner said in the release.
“OSHA will continue to hold this company accountable for their continued indifference to employee safety and closely monitor their operations until they bring themselves into compliance,” Forstner said.
