Brooklyn Contractor Faces $84,000 in Fines After Worker Dies from Fall

Laborer fell while raking freshly poured concrete at unprotected sixth floor edge of building

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Fifty-one-year-old laborer Vidal Sanchez fell to his death at a Brooklyn worksite on April 1, 2015. Sanchez, who worked for J&M Metro General Contracting Corp. fell while raking freshly poured concrete at the unprotected sixth floor edge of a building under construction at 360 Neptune Ave. in Brighton Beach, N.Y.

An U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection found that Sanchez and his co-workers were not provided required fall protection equipment, such as harnesses and lifelines, and their employer had not trained them on how to minimize fall hazards. As a result of its findings, OSHA cited J&M Metro General Contracting on September 30 for one willful violation for the lack of fall protection and five serious violations for the other hazards.

OSHA’s inspection identified other fall-related hazards, including missing stairway guardrails, a defective extension ladder, unprotected floor holes and construction debris in stairways and work areas.

J&M Metro General Contracting faces $84,600 in proposed fines. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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