OSHA has fined Columbus, Ohio-based contractor Alejandro Vasquez Gallegos $236,642 for two willful, two repeat, and four serious safety violations. Gallegos allegedly exposed employees to falls at two jobsites in Pickerington, Ohio, and Galena, Ohio.
Investigators observed employees working on a residential roof in Pickerington without adequate fall protection and subsequently cited Gallegos for failing to train employees on fall protection, for failing to ensure employees wore safety glasses, and for improper ladder usage. A separate OSHA investigation in Galena observed employees again exposed to the same fall hazards.
“Falls are consistently one of OSHA’s most cited hazards, but can be prevented with proper training and appropriate protection,” OSHA Columbus, Ohio, area director Larry Johnson said in a public news release. “This contractor continues to put workers’ lives at risk by allowing them to work at heights without fall protection.”
Gallegos has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with their OSHA area director, or contest the findings.
