Federal workplace safety inspectors have cited an Illinois construction contractor for exposing employees to falls from elevation, the leading cause of injury and death in the industry. The violations occurred during residential framing work at four subdivisions under construction in Mahomet and Savoy in January, March, and May 2024.
Inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) observed employees of Elmer Miller, operating as Miller Building Systems LLC, working on trusses and top plates of residential homes at heights exceeding 18 feet without adequate fall protection. OSHA alleges that even when workers used fall protection equipment, it was not properly secured or tied off, rendering it ineffective.
The specific dates and locations where violations were observed are:
- Jan. 11: Cole Lane in the Hunters Ridge subdivision by Unlimited Homes in Mahomet.
- Jan. 26: Airport Road at The Cottages at Lake Falls by Signature Homes in Savoy.
- March 13: Sutton Street in the Prairie Meadow subdivision by Signature Homes in Savoy.
- May 2: Morningside Lane in the Whisper Meadow subdivision by Unlimited Homes in Mahomet.
OSHA has cited Miller with four willful violations for intentionally failing to use adequate fall protection and proposed penalties totaling $354,912.
“By law, workers must use fall protection whenever they work at heights six feet or greater. For that fall protection to be effective, it must be worn correctly, secured and tied off,” said OSHA Area Director Edward Marshall in Peoria, Illinois. “Without legally required safeguards, a slip, trip and fall can determine whether an employee’s shift ends safely or their life ends tragically.”
Miller has a history of exposing workers to hazardous conditions associated with falls from elevation. Since 2019, OSHA has cited the company 17 times for fall-related violations — including seven citations issued in 2023 alone. The employer is contesting these citations before an administrative law judge with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
“The U.S. Department of Labor will continue to hold Elmer Miller and other construction contractors accountable for complying with federal regulations that protect people on the job from the most dangerous hazard in the construction industry,” Marshall added.
In 2022, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that 1,056 construction workers died on the job; out of these fatalities, 423 were related to falls from elevation or slips/trips.
OSHA provides safety information through its stop falls website which includes video presentations available both in English and Spanish aimed at educating workers about fall hazards and proper safety procedures.
