Following the death of 23-year-old construction worker Kyle Brown, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that his employer, Watertown-based general construction contractor MTL Design Inc., failed to provide and ensure the use of fall protection safeguards that would have prevented his death. OSHA cited the company for a willful and a serious violation.
"This needless fall and resulting death were entirely preventable. Had this company provided its employees with required fall protection equipment, anchorage and training, this young man would be alive today," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse.
The fatality occurred on November 18, 2013, when Brown was part of a crew installing metal decking atop the roof of an automobile dealership under construction in Pulaski. As Brown attempted to secure sheets of decking, he was blown off the roof by a wind gust and fell 24 feet to his death.
Video: Falls in Construction/Reroofing
OSHA's investigation found that while Brown was wearing a fall protection harness, it was useless, as the workers were not provided with a means to connect to an independent anchorage point to stop a fall. The company failed to train employees to recognize fall hazards, ensure adequate anchorage for lifelines and secure the decking against displacement by the wind.
Because of its investigation, OSHA issued MTL Design one willful citation for the lack of fall protection. A willful violation is committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health. Three serious citations were issued for the remaining hazards. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
MTL Design, which faces $88,900 in proposed fines for its violations, is a general contractor that specializes in site work, concrete work and steel building construction. It has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet informally with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To raise awareness of fall hazards and safeguards, a National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction will be conducted from June 2-6. This is a voluntary event where employers talk to their employees about fall hazards and reinforce the importance of fall prevention. Participating employers stop work and provide a focused toolbox talk on a safety topic, such as ladder safety, fall protection equipment or scaffold safety. Detailed information on the stand-down is available at http://go.usa.gov/kuP4.