OSHA Cites South Florida Contractors for Neglecting Fall Protection Standards — Occupational Health & Safety

OSHA Cites South Florida Contractors for Neglecting Fall Protection Standards

Two contractors face $174,000 in penalties for safety violations.

• By Robert Yaniz Jr.
• Oct 10, 2023

Two South Florida contractors are confronting nearly $174,000 in penalties after an OSHA investigation identified compromised safety conditions affecting 12 roofing workers.

According to a release dated Oct. 6, OSHA’s investigation revealed that both A1A Roofing Contractor LLC and Paul Bange Roofing Inc. overlooked critical fall protection standards. The agency observed the violations during a visit to a worksite in Davie, FL in April 2023.

Inspectors discovered workers from Loxahatchee-based subcontractor A1A Roofing were performing tasks on pitched roofs up to 32 feet high without proper fall protection measures in place. Another worker used a broken harness, and the company failed to provide fall protection training to the employees. A1A Roofing faced similar OSHA citations in September 2022.

Meanwhile, Davie-based Paul Bange Roofing Inc.—the primary contractor—neglected to conduct regular inspections, as required by law to prevent potential fall hazards. Overall, A1A Roofing faces two willful violations, one repeat violation, three serious violation and $163,044 in proposed penalties. Paul Bange Roofing received one serious citation and $10,938 in fines.

“Our inspectors found the primary contractor and subcontractor at a Davie work site failing to protect workers from the risks of falls from elevation, the construction industry’s leading cause of death,” OSHA Area Office Director Condell Eastmond in Fort Lauderdale said in a statement. “Fall dangers are widely known in the roofing industry as are the protections that employers must legally use to prevent them, so neither A1A Roofing nor Paul Bange Roofing have a valid excuse for putting their workers in jeopardy of serious or fatal injuries.” 

A1A Roofing Contractor LLC and Paul Bange Roofing Inc. both now have 15 business days to either comply with the penalties, seek an informal conference with OSHA or contest the agency’s findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.