OSHA cites roofing contractor after employee suffers fatal fall at Alabama worksite

OSHA has cited roofing contractor Elmer Julio Perez – operating as Julio Perez – for failing to protect employees from fall hazards after a worker fatally fell from a residential roof at a Mobile, Alabama, worksite. The company faces $138,118 in penalties.

OSHA cited the employer for failing to ensure that employees used fall protection, and report a hospitalization within 24 hours and a fatality within 8 hours, as required. The agency has established a Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction to reduce exposure to fall hazards in construction.

“Allowing employees to work at heights without using proper fall protection methods increases the risk of serious or fatal injuries,” said OSHA Mobile Area Director Jose Gonzalez. “Employers have an obligation to ensure the working conditions are free of hazards.”

OSHA’s Fall Protection in Construction booklet provides information on regulatory standards, including conventional fall protection systems, fall restraints, and training. The Fall Protection webpage offers extensive reference materials to help employers and workers recognize and prevent fall hazards.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.