OSHA finds workers on unprotected 3-story roof, cites Ohio contractor for exposing workers to fall hazards

CANTON, OH – Three stories above ground, five workers moved unsteadily atop a Canton apartment building, all of them at risk of a serious or fatal fall because, once again, their employer failed to ensure they used required safety equipment to protect them from falling. Ivan Lowky – their employer – was also working on the roof without necessary fall protection despite having the equipment available.

For the sixth time since 2012, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found Lowky, operator of ILS Construction in Hartville, failed to provide workers with fall protection equipment.

On Nov. 3, 2020, an OSHA inspector observed Lowky and his employees using nail guns to install roofing material without fall protection. OSHA cited ILS Construction for two willful and one serious violation, and proposed $117,572 in penalties.

“Exposure to fall hazards makes roofing work one of the most dangerous jobs in the construction industry,” explained OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts, in Cleveland. “OSHA requires fall protection when working at heights greater than 6 feet. OSHA is determined to reduce the numbers of preventable, fall-related deaths in the construction and will hold employers accountable for intentionally exposing their workers to such serious dangers.”

To raise awareness of these dangers, OSHA and construction industry stakeholders will join together for The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, May 3-7, 2021.

OSHA encourages employers to use its Stop Falls online resources, which include detailed information on fall protection standards in English and Spanish. The site offers fact sheets, posters and videos that illustrate various fall hazards and appropriate preventive measures.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and 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.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. Learn more about OSHA.