The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit found Washington Township, N.J.-based construction company Altor and its president in contempt of court for unpaid penalties for OSHA violations, according to a news release from the agency. OSHA cited Altor for safety violations, including multiple willful violations of fall protection standards, and levied penalties totaling $412,000.

The court previously ordered Altor and president Vasilio Saites to pay the fine after the Occupation Safety and Health Review Commission affirmed the violations upon appeal. The contempt judgment specifies that Saites is liable for the full amount of the penalty if his company does not pay. Additionally, if Saites or Altor do not fully pay within 30 days or prove to the court they are unable to pay, the Secretary of Labor will propose a daily penalty for the court to assess.

"The U.S. Department of Labor will use all appropriate and available legal tools to ensure that employers are held accountable for their obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to help ensure that workplaces are safe and employers who violate the law do not gain an unfair economic advantage over law-abiding competitors," said Solicitor of Labor Kate O'Scannlain.