How GL Construction's Negligence Regarding Fall Protection Rules led to Severe Financial Penalties

Introduction:

In the construction industry, the major cause of death is falling from heights, which solely accounts for 40% of all construction fatalities. Regardless of these alarming statistics, still workers are being exposed to this life-threatening risk by companies such as GL Construction of Madison LLC. A recent investigation by OSHA found various violations from the company, including workers working at 12 feet height with no fall protection, which led to significant financial penalties as well. This article will explain in detail the need to strictly follow the fall protection standards, steps for ensuring workers' safety while working at heights, and how safety measures help save the lives of employees and the finances of the companies.

What Happened at GL Construction of Madison LLC?

GL Construction of Madison LLC has a long history of putting its workers' lives in danger, along with several safety violations as well. In April 2022, the company came under intense scrutiny for the first time when a tragic incident happened at a job site. On a high-wind day, an over 1000-pound wall was lifted using a crane that fell over and struck an employee. OSHA then discovered and investigated many safety violations, such as insufficient protection of workers from falls and inadequate use of equipment, leading to citations from OSHA.

Again, in October 2023, at the Sun Prairie worksite, OSHA discovered that the workers were exposed to fall hazards while working at elevations. Again, the company was cited for one repeat and 2 serious violations. In February 2024, OSHA Inspectors found that 6 construction workers at the company were doing framing work at 12 feet height without any fall protection. OHSA again penalized the company for 1 willful, two repeat, and five serious violations, leading to total penalties of $144,505.

The company still has to pay the previous fines and is still non-compliant with the agreed-upon safety measures.

OSHA's Legal Action and Penalties Against Sun Prairie Contractors Safety Violations.

GL Construction of Madison LLC was penalized by OSHA for a proposed $144,505 due to repeated violations regarding fall prevention, the most common fatal hazard in the construction industry. As part of the legal action, OSHA proposed the following penalties and violations to the company:

GL Construction faced multiple safety violations, including one willful violation for exposing the workers to fall hazards, repeated failures to address the fall protection standards, and intentionally neglecting the necessary safety measures. The company received citations for many serious hazards, such as an unsafe working state and insufficient protection at elevated heights.

For repeated violations against fall protection standards, OSHA proposed $144,505.

Also, the company has pending fines and unresolved safety improvements from past violations due to the fatalities in 2022. All these financial penalties and violations stress the severe legal and financial consequences of not following workplace safety standards.

Why Falls from Elevations are the Biggest Safety Concern at Workplaces?

One of the most significant safety hazards in the workplace, especially in the construction industry, is falling from elevation. In the United States, in 2023, falls caused almost 24% of all construction industry fatalities, highlighting this hazard's devastating effect on worker well-being and operational efficiency. This alarming statistic is even compounded by the fact that falls cause approximately 20% of all workplace deaths in various sectors. Alone in the construction industry, almost 4500 incidents related to falls from elevations occur annually, many of which cause severe injuries, including head trauma and fractures. Working on scaffolds, ladders, and roofs is the major scenario in which falls from heights occur, bringing catastrophic outcomes as well. Even heights as low as 6-10 ft causes 25% of fall-related deaths, compounding that no height should be considered safe to work without proper precautions. The economic implications are also quite evident as fall-related accidents can increase project costs by 15%, keeping aside the emotional trauma that affected workers' families go through. That is why stringent safety measures and ongoing training are necessary to mitigate workplace injuries, including falls, and keep workers safe in all industries.

How to Keep Your Workers Safe from Falls at the Workplace?

Employers are responsible for implementing fall protection systems at their workplace and comprehensive training of employees to safely work at elevations. OSHA states that fall protection is required for elevations as low as 4 feet in general industry, and for the construction industry, it is at least 6 feet.

• The first step is installing guardrails and toe-boards around the elevated platforms to cover or guard all floor holes.
• Employees must always wear PPE, including safety harnesses and nets, when working at heights.
• Fall injuries are also caused by the workers who stand on forklift forks or pallets mounted on forks to reach heights. Employers should not let the workers stand on these surfaces.
• Conduct regular fall protection training sessions to educate and prepare the employees about the possible hazards, the necessary safety protocols, their understanding of equipment use, and their recognition of hazardous conditions.
• In addition, keeping work areas clean and dry can cut down the chances of slips and trips that lead to falls.

By prioritizing fall safety measures, a workplace can become safer for everyone, with near to zero fall-related incident chances. Read our detailed blog on safety measures when working at heights here.

Conclusion

Every workplace is incomplete without proper fall protection, safety, and the training of employees. GL Construction of Madison LLC endangered the lives of its employees and had to face severe legal and financial consequences. Staying compliant with OSHA and other regulatory bodies' standards, along with well-trained employees, is the only way to ensure your workplace is fall-accident-free. Remember, workplace safety is more than staying compliant; it ensures that every worker gets home safely at the end of the workday.

References:

U.S Department of Labor, 12^th September 2024, Federal safety inspection finds Sun Prairie contractor again failed to protect workers from potentially deadly hazards at home sites, https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20240912

Human Focus, 24th May 2024, Fall from Height – the Leading Cause of Workplace Death, https://humanfocus.co.uk/blog/fall-from-height-the-leading-cause-of-workplace-death/

Health and Safety Executive, Falls from height, https://www.hse.gov.uk/food/falls.htm