APPLETON, WI – Despite the serious consequences of its actions, an Appleton-based contractor was again cited for exposing workers to deadly fall hazards after a U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspector observed six roofers atop a two-story Algoma duplex on Nov. 2, 2021 – about six months after the contractor’s last citations in June 2021.
After OSHA found Apple Roofing Solutions LLC had again failed to provide fall protection equipment to workers, train them on its use and provide a ladder extended at least 3 feet above the landing surface, the agency issued one willful, one repeat and one serious violation. Proposed penalties total $49,722.
In June 2021, OSHA cited the company for the same hazards, identified during an inspection at a Neenah job site, and proposed $21,140 in penalties.
The pair of recent inspections continues the company’s history of failing to protect its roofing workers. In 2017 and 2018, OSHA cited the company for similar hazards at other job sites. The company has neither paid OSHA penalties assessed in June 2021 nor complied with requirements to provide abatement information.
“Apple Roofing Solutions continues to show a flagrant disregard for the safety and well-being of its workers, and the law. Fall hazards make roofing work among the construction industry’s most dangerous jobs and among OSHA’s most frequently cited hazards,” said OSHA Area Director Robert Bonack in Appleton. “While this company seems willing to ignore the dangers of falls and the potential for serious injuries, debilitation or worse, OSHA will hold Apple Roofing Solutions, and other employers like them, accountable for failing to meet the legal requirements to provide safe working conditions.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports in 2020 that 1,008 construction workers died on the job, with 351 of those falls from elevation.
OSHA’s stop falls website offers safety information and video presentations in English and Spanish to teach workers about hazards and proper safety procedures. Learn more about OSHA’s annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls, set for May 2-6.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Learn more about OSHA.
