• Home
• Workers
• Regulations
• Enforcement
• Data & Statistics
• Training
• Publications
• Newsroom
• Small Business

Region 3 News Release:   III-01-07-31-075-DC
Tues., July 31, 2001
Contact: Kate Dugan
OFFICE: (215) 861-5101
After Hours: (610) 522-9484

D.C. CONTRACTOR CITED FOR ALLEGED SAFETY AND HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today cited Waddell Construction Co., of Chantilly, Va., for alleged violations of safety and health standards and proposed $118,000 in penalties. Waddell was performing work at a construction site located at 1300 13th St., N.W., Washington, D.C.

The company received two willful violations, with a penalty of $112,000 for exposing their employees to falls from nine to 18 feet. Five serious violations, with a penalty of $6,000 were issued for electrical hazards, improper storage of liquid petroleum gas, and unprotected rebar which exposed employees to impalement hazards.

"Waddell was well aware of the OSHA standards concerning fall protection yet did not provide it to employees on this site," said Leonard Moore, area director of the Baltimore OSHA office.

The inspection was initiated on Jan. 31, 2001 as a result of the agency's local emphasis program directed toward falls in construction.

Willful violations are those committed with intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the OSH law. Serious violations are those in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazards.

The company has 15 working days to decide to comply with the citations, request an informal conference with the area director or contest the citations before the Independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The inspection was conducted by the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. OSHA office, 1099 Winterson Rd., Suite 140, Linthicum, Md. 21090-2218, telephone number (410) 865-2055.