OSHA Penalizes Brooklyn Contractor, Warned other New Jersey Construction Companies

A Brooklyn contractor has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) for safety violations after a building structural collapse in Brighton Beach resulted in a worker’s death. Meanwhile, the work-safety watchdog has also issued a call to action to New Jersey construction companies following four serious worker-fall accidents.

OSHA reported that SP&K Construction was erecting a multistory building in November 2011 when the front bays of the third, fourth, and fifth floors suddenly gave way during concrete-pouring operation on the fourth and third floors. In spite of OSHA training—for instance, OSHA 10 hour training and OSHA 30 training—now being required by contractors, many workers are still exposed to unnecessary worksite hazards because of employer negligence, ignorance, or plain disregard of basic safety protocols.

"This employer clearly knew the steel erection was incorrect and unstable, which led to the death of one worker and the hospitalization of four others," lamented Kay Gee, the OSHA area director for Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. "Had proper procedures and safeguards been followed, this fatal collapse could have been prevented."

The OSHA Manhattan Area Office found a basic but critical misstep: the builder failed to maintain the structured stability of the floors during the steel erection process. Significantly, OSHA discovered that the exterior wall framing was not up to specifications to maintain structural stability during the erection process. OSHA also isolated several contributing inadequacies, including: the structural frame was laterally unstable because of inadequate bracing; the exterior walls were out of plumb; nails were used where screws are required; and metal c-joists were not secured as required.

 The proposed penalties totaled $77,880.

A spate of construction worksite accidents in neighboring Northern New Jersey has prompted the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enjoin construction companies to ensure that workers working six feet off the ground be properly equipped to protect them from falls.

Four worksite falls involving construction employees prompted the OSHA’s call to action: a fall from the roof on a construction site in Bayonne, N.J.; a fall from an aerial lift in Secaucus, N.J; a fall during steel- frame operation in Madison, N.J.; and a fall through a roof into a vat of acid in Clifton, N.J. All accidents are under investigation.

"This is a call to action for every contractor in the state. These incidents are tragic reminders of the dangers posed to workers when they are not adequately protected from fall hazards," said Robert Kulick, the OSHA regional administrator in New York. "Whether working on a roof, a scaffold or in an aerial lift, all workers must have and correctly use the proper equipment to prevent falls."

OSHA emphasized several ways to protect workers from falls: safety net systems, guardrail systems, and personal fall-arrest systems. It also pointed out the importance of safe work practices and thorough training.