Bergen County roofing contractor violates agreement to protect its workers, faces more than $600K in penalties

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ – A Bergen County contractor who agreed to make safety improvements after federal safety inspections in 2019 identified nine violations with proposed penalties of $121,687 has instead violated its settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor. Following inspections in 2020 and 2021, the company now faces $600,741 in penalties for 10 more violations.

On Nov. 13, 2020, Janiec Roofing Inc. of Lodi entered into a settlement agreement with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration after two 2019 inspections identified significant infractions related to fall protection and other safety issues. The company agreed to establish a comprehensive written safety and health program, provide training to managers and workers and create daily safety checklists to identify and remove any hazards.

OSHA’s follow-up inspection in 2021 determined that Janiec Roofing failed to comply with the agreement and continued to expose workers to dangerous safety hazards. The agency proposed an additional $180,220 in penalties and cited the company with one failure-to-abate violation for not complying with the settlement agreement terms and not submitting documentation required to show compliance.

Prior to the follow-up inspection, OSHA conducted two other inspections of Janiec Roofing as part of the agency’s Regional Emphasis Program for fall hazards in construction. In December 2020, inspectors found employees working on a residential roof project in Paramus without proper fall protection. In January 2021, OSHA visited a Janiec work site in Saddle Brook where inspectors identified unsafe use of ladders and failures to ensure that workers used head, eye and fall protection. These two inspections resulted in two willful, four repeat and three serious citations and $420,521 in penalties.

“Janiec Roofing’s failure to honor its agreement with OSHA and knowingly put workers at risk of serious injuries or worse is inexcusable,” said OSHA Area Director Lisa Levy in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. “Intentional disregard of federal law will not be tolerated and OSHA will not hesitate to hold employers accountable when they ignore their legal responsibility and jeopardize the well-being of their hard-working employees.”

View the citations from OSHA’s 2021 follow-up inspection. View the citations from OSHA’s January 2021 inspection. View the citations from OSHA’s December 2020 inspection.

Based in Lodi, Janiec Roofing Inc. performs roof installation, restoration, maintenance and repairs in Northern New Jersey. 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.

Learn more about fall protection in residential construction.