News Release
Zion contractor again found ignoring protections to prevent workers from suffering disabling, deadly falls from elevation; faces $266K in new fines
ZION, IL – Federal inspectors have again cited a Zion contractor with an extensive history of endangering workers by exposing them to fall hazards. The latest violations were discovered when employees were found roofing a residential structure without required fall protections – marking the second such incident in six months and the fifth in two years.
Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed employees of Miguel A. Esquina Reyes – operating as Corner Construction Corp. – working without legally required fall protection equipment atop a residential structure in Glencoe in August 2024.
Falls from elevation are the leading cause of fatal and serious injuries among construction workers and rank among the most frequently cited safety violations by OSHA. In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 1,069 construction workers died on the job, with 395 of those deaths related to falls.
OSHA cited the company for allowing employees to work without protection at heights greater than six feet and for the unsafe use of ladders. In all, Corner Construction received three violations - one willful, one repeat and one serious - for which the company faces $266,175 in proposed penalties.
In February 2024, OSHA assessed the company $19,015 in penalties after citing a repeat violation for Corner Construction’s failure to provide fall protection at a Downers Grove worksite. The 2024 infractions continue a series of similar citations issued after three inspections in 2022 and 2023. Currently, Corner Construction is liable for $82,000 in unpaid OSHA penalties.
“OSHA often finds contractors violating the same safety regulations repeatedly, because they believe their workers will not fall victim to injury. It takes just seconds to lose footing, to fall off a roof and suffer serious and all-too-often fatal injuries,” explained OSHA Chicago North Area Director Sukhvir Kaur in Arlington Heights, Illinois. “Miguel Reyes continues to show a chronic disregard for safe work operations and a willingness to jeopardize his employees’ lives and well-being.”
OSHA’s stop falls website offers safety information and video presentations in English and Spanish to teach workers about fall hazards and proper safety procedures. The agency also offers compliance assistance resources on Protecting Roofing Workers and recommendations for developing a safety and health program.
