Hazards at construction site cost $460,000
July 1, 1999 2 minutes read
Hazards at construction site cost $460,000
A Georgia concrete formwork contractor, which has seen four of its workers killed in fall-related accidents since 1987 has been cited by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for knowingly exposing workers to potentially fatal fall hazards.
OSHA cited Southern Pan Services Co. (SPS) for 11 violations, 10 of which were alleged willful violations for lack of fall protection during construction at the Home Depot headquarters in Smyrna, GA. OSHA is proposing that SPS pay $460,000 in penalties. In addition to the four deaths in the last 12 years, OSHA reports that SPS has had three non-fatal injuries related to falls during the same period. Further, OSHA cited the contractor 13 times for fall protection violations between 1988 and 1998.
Management refused to comply with OSHA
The most recent citations resulted from a complaint inspection which began last November. The complainant alleged that SPS did not implement a conventional fall protection program at the site for employees working at the leading edge of the concrete floors. Employees were being exposed to potential fall hazards ranging from 10 feet to 94 feet.
During the course of the investigation, SPS management at the job site said they would not comply with OSHA standards, despite the earlier OSHA citations, according to OSHA.
Of the 11 violations cited, 10 were alleged willful violations related to 34 instances of fall protection hazards, with a penalty of $455,000. The company also was cited for one alleged serious violation involving inadequate fall protection training for 38 employees, with a proposed penalty of $5,000.
One of the largest concrete formwork contractors in the eastern United States, SPS employs 800 workers. Sixty-eight employees worked on the Home Depot project. The company can contest the fines.
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