A Canon, Massachusetts contractor working at the Hultman Aqueduct project in Weston, Mass., has been cited for repeat and serious OSHA violations.
Our Boston workers’ compensation attorneys continue to be concerned about Massachusetts construction workers whose employers repeatedly violate safety standards.
Inspectors for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Barletta Heavy Division Inc. for alleged safety standard violations. Proposed fines to the Canton contractor total $52,500.
Employees were observed working without hearing protection inside the excessively noisy aqueduct tunnel. Other observations included: the work area lacked fire extinguishers and workers were to close to an exposed energized electrical panel. Fall protection was lacking, thereby exposing employees to fall hazards of up to 14 feet, and ladders didn’t extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing, which caused a stability issue.
In a previous blog posted on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog we reported that employees working in high-risk occupations don’t use hearing protection enough. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there were 22,000 hearing loss cases reported in 2008.
Barletta Heavy Division Inc. was cited by OSHA back in 2008 for similar fall hazards at two worksites in Boston. Employers are issued repeat citation if they have been cited in the past 5 years for the same hazards. In this case proposed fines of $37,500 were issued for two repeat offenses.
We recently reported on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog on another Massachusetts contractor cited for failing to provide fall protection to their workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 11 fatal falls in Massachusetts in 2009.
Serious citations were issued for the fire extinguisher, noise and electrical hazards with proposed fines of $15,000.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) including hearing protection and fall protection are items employers are required to provide their workers.
The recently released directive from OSHA Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry lists PPE that employers must provide for its employees for free. This directive went into effect February 10th.
If you have sustained an injury while at work or have a Boston workers’ compensation claim, contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for assistance. Accountability is the number one priority so call toll free at (617) 777-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.