Fatal fall shows need for ongoing Safety Stand-down
A 30-year-old roofer's life was tragically cut short in November 2014 after a fall caused severe head trauma. The man was found unresponsive below a 32-foot extension ladder he was using to renovate a roof at a two-story building at Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base. OSHA investigators found the victim's employer, Midwest Roofing, did not provide required fall prevention equipment. OSHA cited the company for six serious safety violations, and Infinite Energy Construction, the general contractor, for four serious safety violations related to OSHA fall standards.
“In mere seconds, a family was tragically altered forever,” said Barbara Theriot, OSHA's area director in Kansas City, Mo. "Companies that put their workers dangerously high above the ground are responsible for protecting them,"