A Florida-based roofing contractor, All Phase Roofing, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for three repeat violations concerning a lack of fall protection measures for their employees. The charges were revealed following an OSHA investigation, which resulted in fines totaling $159,117.
The DOL news release reported that an OSHA investigator observed All Phase Roofing employees installing roofing membranes on garage roofs attached to two residential structures in Boca Raton in June 2023. The other two violations pertained to the failure of supervisors to ensure the proper use of equipment by employees and inadequate training of employees before they commenced their roofing duties.
"Fall incidents in construction remain the leading cause of worker fatalities, and it is irresponsible for All Phase Roofing to allow its employees to work on roofs without appropriate protection," said Condell Eastmond, OSHA Area Office Director. "These types of hazards are well known, yet we still find employers subjecting their workers to dangerous and life-threatening work conditions." Eastmond further added that "General contractors also have a responsibility, as demonstrated by Lennar Homes here, to take necessary steps ensuring that its subcontractors maintain safe worksites."
According to the news release, OSHA also cited All Phase Roofing for permitting workers to use the fly section of an extension ladder for roof access. Other violations included not having a competent person train workers on proper ladder use and associated hazards, and allowing workers to use an interior staircase unequipped with a stair rail at the open edge. Additionally, Lennar Homes—the developer of the homes where the employees were working—was fined $8,929 for not having a supervisor on site ensuring that workers used fall safety gear.
The news release emphasized that falls are the primary cause of death in the construction industry. In 2022 alone, there were 700 deaths linked to falls, marking a 2.9 percent increase from 2021, according to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
