North Florida roofing contractor continues to expose workers to dangerous fall hazards; faces $128K in penalties

Employer name: Rogero & Williams Roofing Contractors Inc.

Inspection site: 5185 Datil Pepper Road, St. Augustine, Florida 32086

Citations issued: OSHA issued citations to the employer on Aug. 23, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Rogero & Williams Roofing Contractors for one willful and one serious safety violation. Employees were performing re-roofing work on a residence without fall protection. The inspection fell under OSHA’s Regional Emphasis Program on Falls in Construction.

The agency issued the willful citation for the employer’s failure to protect workers with a fall protection system as they did residential construction at heights greater than 6 feet. The employer also failed to require workers to wear eye protection equipment, which led to the issuance of a serious violation.

Proposed penalties: $128,077

Quote: “No deadline is so urgent that Rogero & William’s management cannot follow proper safety procedures to conduct their work in a safe manner,” said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA’s area director in Jacksonville. “After being cited for the fourth time in a year, this employer must take action and stop endangering the lives of workers by allowing them to work from elevated heights without fall protection.” 

The citations can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/RogeroWilliamsRoofingContractorsInc_1137948.pdf

Based in Jacksonville, Rogero & Williams has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Jacksonville Area Office at 904-232-2895.