Federal inspectors have cited a Zion contractor for repeatedly endangering workers by exposing them to fall hazards. This marks the second incident in six months and the fifth in two years where employees were found roofing without necessary protections.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) observed workers from Miguel A. Esquina Reyes, operating as Corner Construction Corp., lacking required fall protection equipment while working on a residential structure in Glencoe in August 2024.
Falls from elevation are a leading cause of serious injuries and fatalities among construction workers, according to OSHA, which frequently cites such safety violations. In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 1,069 construction worker fatalities, with 395 related to falls.
OSHA has charged Corner Construction with three violations: one willful, one repeat, and one serious. The company now faces $266,175 in proposed penalties for allowing work at heights greater than six feet without protection and unsafe ladder use.
Earlier this year, in February 2024, OSHA fined the company $19,015 for a repeat violation involving fall protection at a Downers Grove site. These infractions follow similar citations after inspections conducted in 2022 and 2023. Currently, Corner Construction owes $82,000 in unpaid penalties to OSHA.
“OSHA often finds contractors violating the same safety regulations repeatedly because they believe their workers will not fall victim to injury,” said OSHA Chicago North Area Director Sukhvir Kaur. “It takes just seconds to lose footing, to fall off a roof and suffer serious and all-too-often fatal injuries,” Kaur added. He criticized Miguel Reyes for showing "a chronic disregard for safe work operations" and risking his employees' lives.
OSHA provides resources through its stop falls website offering safety information and video presentations in English and Spanish to educate workers about fall hazards and proper safety procedures. They also offer compliance assistance resources on protecting roofing workers along with recommendations for developing a comprehensive safety program.
Learn more about OSHA.
