Wauconda, Ill.-based Prate Roofing & Installations was one of three Chicago-area companies cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division for violating the Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The division assessed $16,742 in penalties against the company under the Child Labor Enhanced Penalty Program because the minor working for the roofing contractor suffered substantial impairment during their unlawful employment.
The Wage and Hour Division opened investigation against Prate Roofing after receiving referrals from OSHA regarding injuries suffered by a minor employed in a position that violates "Hazardous Occupation Orders," which prohibit specific jobs for workers under 18.
"The Child Labor Standards specifically prohibit minors from working with equipment and in jobs that expose them to hazards. [In this case], a minor employee suffered serious injuries because they were assigned tasks – such as working on roofs – that violate employment rules for minors," said Wage and Hour Division Chicago district director Tom Gauza said in a public statement.
Investigators found that, while working on a roof with Prate Roofing & Installations, a 16-year-old worker fell approximately 25 feet through a skylight onto a concrete floor. OSHA determined the minor was not attached to a safety cord or wearing a helmet. As a result of the fall, the minor suffered a burst fracture in his spine and a fracture dislocation in his ankle requiring emergency surgeries and several months of rehabilitation.
