The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has confirmed fall allegations against a Georgia company that acted as the general contractor for a roof project for a townhouse in an apartment building.
In a decision released on Monday, the commission issued summary judgment to the US Secretary of Labor in a case against Norcross-based company Fama Construction Inc. over safety allegations filed in March 2019 after a site visit.
Fama admitted that it ended its training program and stopped safety inspections of its construction sites in March 2019, and claimed that the subcontractors it hired bore those responsibilities.
Nonetheless, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Fama because of the risk of falls identified at the townhouse construction site.
The commission said Fama still had to meet certain security requirements in its supporting role as controlling employer.
Fama introduced an impracticability plea, which requires the cited companies to demonstrate that compliance with certain safety requirements would be technically or economically unfeasible.
Fama said compliance with the above OSHA regulations would require hiring an additional supervisor at $50,000 a year, which would put the company out of business.
The commission agreed with OSHA that Fama failed to demonstrate that there were no viable alternative means to protect its subcontractors from site hazards.
In giving the government a summary judgment, the commission upheld two workplace safety allegations and ordered the company to pay $68,344 in penalties.
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https://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20230616/NEWS08/912358099/Citations,-fines-over-fall-hazards-at-Georgia-roofing-job-upheld
