In the summer of 2015, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) fined a Woburn-based roofing company named Force Corp. $91,000 for one willful violation and four serious violations of federal safety standards. OSHA issued the willful citation because the company has known about its potential for fall hazards since 2013 and failed to provide the appropriate protection to avoid injury.
The fall protection equipment that Force Corp eventually provided was defective and inadequate to stop any falls, which put the employees at unnecessary risk of harm. Ladders used by employees were too short - safety regulations mandate that ladders should extend at least three feet past upper landings for stability. Safety harnesses were damaged, and safety lanyards (cords meant to prevent employee falls) were too long to be effective. To make matters worse, Force Corp had installed a power tap that was not designed for construction site use exposing employees to potential electrocution.
When OSHA issues a citation such as this one the parent company has 15 business days from receipt of the citation to correct any defects, meet with the area director and make a defense for the independent OSHA Review Commission.
Construction site accidents produce some of the most series injuries that can cross a personal injury attorney’s desk. Litigating a Massachusetts construction site accident involves complex questions of business relationships between contractors, subcontractors and laborers. The presence of any OSHA violations also figures into the analysis, and can heavily weigh in the favor of an injured worker.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction site accident cases then you should consult with a Massachusetts personal injury law attorney. The lawyers at Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley evaluate construction contracts and the Massachusetts and federal safety codes which regulate work sites. When necessary, we hire appropriate experts to prove liability.
Often, our attorneys can coordinate a construction site injury claim with your Massachusetts worker’s compensation claim. In fact, it is most often in the injured person’s best interest to have the same firm handle both of these different, but interrelated, claims.