The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has
cited Lorz Construction for three willful safety and health violations. These violations come in
response to an inspection of a facility in Fargo, North Dakota in May of 2015. This inspection
was initiated in response to an injury at the worksite. An employee was working from a forklift
platform at a construction site which tipped over leading to serious back and leg injuries. The
citations are for fall hazards on exposed scaffolds up to three stories, a lack of guard rails or fall
protection equipment, and a failure to ensure that forklifts supporting scaffold platforms were not
moved while the platform was occupied. These violations carry proposed penalties of $105,000.
“Falls remain the leading cause of death and injury on construction sites. It is inexcusable for
employers to not provide fall protection,” said Eric Brooks, OSHA’s area director in Bismarck.
“Despite being previously cited for exposing workers to these hazards, Lorz Construction has yet
to commit to its legal responsibility to protect workers on the job.”
Fall hazards are among the most common hazards cited by OSHA during inspections, especially
for construction companies. As such, it is imperative not only to have a good fall hazard policy
in place but to ensure it is being followed at every jobsite. If you have any concerns about your
company’s fall hazard policies and procedures, it is important to review them and be sure you
have a mechanism in place to ensure they are being followed. Otherwise, you could find yourself
on the receiving end of a large fine.
If you have any questions about this inspection or about your current occupational safety and
health policies and procedures, please contact us. If you have anything to add about this
inspection and the findings, please leave a comment.
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