Commercial Roofing Contractor Cited for Exposing Workers to Fall Hazards

Lake Barrington, IL (WorkersCompensation.com) - An Indiana-based roofing company has been cited by OSHA for exposing workers to fall hazards while they were performing roofing work at a commercial building site located in Lake Barrington..

According to Citation and the Notification of Penalty documents, Five Star Roofing Systems, Inc., was cited for the following serious violations that occurred in February, following a routine inspection by OSHA: 

• Workers were exposed to the hazard of contacting a rotating cutting blade, as well as being struck down by thrown objects, and/or reactive forces
• The belt and the pulley drive on a Gas Airless Sprayer engine was not guarded to prevent employees from coming in contact with moving parts
• The personal fall arrest systems had not been inspected prior to each use for wear, damage, and other deterioration
• Workers that were engaged in roofing work on a low-sloped roof did not have warning lines erected along the side of the roof work area, leaving them with no fall protection
• There was no access paths to and from the roof area for employees
• Ladders used to get up and down from the roof were not maintained and were not free of roofing tar
• Extensions ladders were used simultaneously to access and get down from the roof

Five Star Roofing Systems Inc. was also cited for several repeat violations, including no helmets worn by employees putting them at possible risk of head injuries. Also, employees were not provided with face and eye protection when machines or operations presented potential eye or face trauma from chemical, physical, and radiation agents. Employees were also not protected from fall hazards while providing roofing work.

“This company has violated required safety standards repeatedly and placed employees at risk for serious injuries,” said OSHA’s Chicago North Area Director Angeline Loftus, in a press release. “Employers must develop and implement safety procedures on every job site to ensure that employees are protected from falls and other workplace safety hazards.”

According to OSHA’s enforcement website, Five Star Roofing Inc., had been cited 17times in the last 10 years for more than 40 total violations.

The company faces $220,249 in penalties for repeated fall protection violations.

“It’s imperative that all employers maintain a healthy and safe work environment for all their employees,” said Scott Allen, OSHA spokesman. “The most important thing is to ensure that everyone returns home safely after each workday.”

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