Missouri Roofing Contractor Facing $267,332 in OSHA Penalties — Occupational Health & Safety

Missouri Roofing Contractor Facing $267,332 in OSHA Penalties

H R Vasquez Construction LLC has a history of fall protection violations.

• By Robert Yaniz Jr.
• Apr 11, 2024

St. Louis, Missouri-based roofing contractor H R Vasquez Construction LLC has received proposed penalties totaling $267,332, following OSHA investigations.

According to a recent release, the agency discovered 13 violations—including nine repeat, three serious and one other-than-serious—at five residential job sites in Wentzville, Missouri. Violations included a failure to provide fall protection for employees working at height, neglecting to provide workers using pneumatic nail guns with eye and face protection, improper use of ladders, lack of a written hazard communication program and the absence of an accident prevention program.

Within the construction industry, falls from height remain the primary cause of workplace deaths. And across the board, fall protection has remained atop OSHA’s most frequently cited violations list for the past 13 years. Meanwhile, H R Vasquez Construction has been cited seven times for fall safety violations since 2021.

“OSHA repeatedly finds roofing contractors like H R Vasquez Construction ignoring federal safety regulations and exposing workers to the construction industry’s deadliest hazard,” OSHA Area Director Bill McDonald in St. Louis said in a statement. “Falls from heights often lead to permanent or fatal injuries which is why these regulations must be taken seriously. There is no excuse for putting profit before people.” 

H R Vasquez Construction now has 15 days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest its findings before an independent commission.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.