A Virginia air conditioning company faces $225,995 in penalties after a worker plunged to his death March 30, 2017 at one of its worksites.

The man, an employee of a Whitley/Service Roofing and Sheet Metal Company, "stepped on and fell through the unmarked, unsecured roof hole cover that was not sufficient to hold his weight," according to the citations. "The employee sustained serious injury resulting in death."

Richmond-based James River Air Conditioning Company received the following citations:

Citation 1 Item 1 Type of Violation: Serious 1926.100(a): At this jobsite, on the roof and ground, employees exposed to possible head injury from falling or flying objects or from impact with hand tools, equipment and building materials during construction operations were not wearing hard hats.

Citation 1 Item 2 Type of Violation: Serious 1926.501(a)(2): At this jobsite, on the roof, the employer did not determine if the walking/working surfaces on which employees worked had the strength and structural integrity to support employees safely. Employees shall be allowed to work on those surfaces only when the surfaces have the requisite strength and structural integrity to support employees safely.

Citation 1 Item 3 Type of Violation: Serious 1926.501(b)(4)(i): Each employee on walking/working surfaces shall be protected from falling through holes more than 6 feet above a lower level, by personal fall arrest systems, covers, or guardrail systems erected around such holes. At this jobsite, on the roof, employees were not protected from falling through two HVAC roof openings, approximately 6 ft. 9 in. long, by 5 ft. 5 in. wide and 3 ft. 11 in. long by 5 ft. 7 in wide, and approximately 28 ft. above the interior factory floor by the use of guardrail systems, covers or personal fall arrest systems.

Citation 2 Item 1 Type of Violation: Willful-Serious 1926.502(i)(2): This employer did not assure that employees on walking/working surfaces were protected from falling through holes more than 6 feet above lower levels by personal fall arrest systems, covers or guardrail systems erected around such holes. At this jobsite, on the roof, two HVAC roof openings, approximately 6 ft. 9 in. long, by 5 ft. 5 in. wide and 3 ft. 11 in. long by 5 ft. 7 in wide, and approximately 28 ft. above the interior factory floor, had been covered with one sheet of 4 ft. wide by 8 ft. long 1/2 in. OSB board, in lieu of a cover which would be capable of supporting without failure, at least twice the weight of employees, equipment, and other materials that may be imposed on the cover at any one time.

Citation 2 Item 2 Type of Violation: Willful-Serious 1926.502(i)(3): All covers were not secured when installed so as to prevent accidental displacement by the wind, equipment, or employees: At this jobsite, on the roof, two HVAC roof openings, approximately 6 ft. 9 in. long, by 5 ft. 5 in. wide and 3 ft. 11 in. long by 5 ft. 7 in wide, and approximately 28 ft. above the interior factory floor, had been covered with one sheet of 4 ft. wide by 8 ft. long 1/2 in. OSB board, had not been secured when installed so as to prevent accidental displacement.

Citation 2 Item 3 Type of Violation: Willful-Serious 1926.502(i)(4): At this jobsite, on the roof, two HVAC roof openings, approximately 6 ft. 9 in. long, by 5 ft. 5 in. wide and 3 ft. 11 in. long by 5 ft. 7 in wide, and approximately 28 ft. above the interior factory floor, had been covered with one sheet of 4 ft. wide by 8 ft. long 1/2 in. OSB board, had not been marked with the work "Hole" or "Cover" to provide warning of the hazard.

Click here to read the citations issued by Virginia Occupational Safety and Health.

 In Michigan, SET Enterprises of New Boston was issued 10 citations and $102,600 in penalties for exposing workers to amputation hazards. Michigan OSHA inspectors determined that the company failed to: train workers on potential hazards and safe operation of machines; ensure proper machine guarding; and provide workers with gloves designed to prevent cuts.