An OSHA inspector driving by a New Hampshire worksite saw a Daniels Electric Corp. employee without fall protection replacing a light fixture on the roof atop a Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant. An inspection was immediately opened in December.
OSHA found that the employee was exposed to a 12-foot fall due to the lack of fall protection. An additional fall hazard stemmed from the fact that the extension ladder used to access the roof did not extend at least three feet beyond the roof's edge for required stability. The employee also faced possible electric shocks and burns because the circuit controlling the light had not been locked out to prevent it from becoming unintentionally energized.
These conditions resulted in Daniels Electric Corp. being cited for one willful violation of workplace safety standards for the lack of fall protection and two serious violations for the other hazards. OSHA has proposed a penalty of $40,000.
"A fall from 12 feet can kill or disable a worker for life; so can an electric shock. While this worker was fortunate that we spotted these hazards before an injury occurred, he should never have been exposed to these hazards in the first place. Required safeguards must be used every time on every jobsite," said Rosemarie Ohar Cole, OSHA's New Hampshire area director. "We encourage New Hampshire employers and workers to visit OSHA's Stop Falls website to learn more and encourage them to participate in this year's Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction from May 4 to 15, 2015."
