We can’t say for sure if ghosts exist, but OSHA? They’re as real as it gets, and they don’t wait until Halloween to haunt contractors who avoid the added cost of safety.
So if you like scary stories, we have five for you; the five spookiest OSHA fines levied to contractors in 2024.
Pennsylvania
It’s bad enough for a contractor to expose anybody to potential workplace harm. It’s even worse when it’s their own underage children.
That’s exactly what one Pennsylvania contractor did as they worked on the roof of an apartment building earlier this year. OSHA found the children exposed to dangerous heights, unstable ladders, and pneumatic nail guns, violating federal safety rules. The contractor racked up five violations, two deemed willful, with fines totaling $64,759.
"Allowing children to perform roofing work is illegal and permitting them to do so without fall protection makes this case even more disturbing," said OSHA Area Director Kevin T. Chambers in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Wisconsin
Just two years after an employee suffered fatal injuries under their watch, one Wisconsin contractor didn’t learn from their previous mistake.
In February, OSHA officers saw six employees of this contractor working a residential framing job 12 feet in the air without any fall protection. This led to a series of citations totaling a proposed $144,505 in fines.
This goes to show that, if fall protection isn't already in your budget, it needs to be. An OSHA fine is far more costly.
Florida
OSHA fined a Florida contractor in June 2023, with workers installing roofing membranes in Boca Raton—without any fall protection.
The company racked up three repeat violations for skipping safety inspections, failing to provide hazard training, and neglecting fall protection, plus three serious violations for ladder and stair safety issues. (Friendly reminder that you should never haul materials up a ladder. There are better solutions available).
Back in January, OSHA slapped them with $159,117 in fines. The general contractor didn't escape scrutiny either, getting hit with an $8,929 penalty for not inspecting the site or securing stairwells properly.
Ohio
OSHA inspectors caught a contractor ignoring basic safety protocols and exposing workers to fall hazards while framing homes twice in one month. No fall protection–check. Untrained workers–check. Missing PPE–check.
This isn’t this specific contractor’s first run-in with OSHA. These violations come just three years after facing other citations for the same neglect.
Not only did these citations cause the contractor to enroll in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, but it all burned a hole in their pockets; They now face $199,761 in fines.
Illinois
We saved the scariest OSHA fine for last.
During multiple inspections of an Illinois contractor in 2024, workers were seen at heights over 30 feet without protection. Despite repeated warnings, the company allowed employees to work at dangerous heights, failed to train them in safety procedures, and denied the U.S. Department of Labor’s request for business documents.
This led to multiple OSHA citations for willful and serious violations leading the contractor to face over $317,000 in fines.
No, that's not a typo.
Not taking care of their crew's safety cost them $317k.
Now that you’ve heard these horrifying tales, it’s important to know that all these instances were completely avoidable.
Don’t be like these guys; take steps now to make your operation safer and compliant with OSHA protocols.
All information is sourced directly from OSHA’s website. Click here to view all OSHA press releases in 2024.