Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. OSHA citation items will be posted 30 (thirty) days after the employer receives the citation(s), except in cases of significant public interest. Posted citation items reflect any amendments to citations that are the result of a prompt settlement, which OSHA encourages. Employers and employee representatives will continue to receive copies of the citation(s) upon issuance.

Inspection: 1501842.015 - Services By E&E Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

At 9:30 a.m. on October 22, 2020, an employee was working as a construction helper for a roofing contractor. His primary language was Spanish. He was Hispanic or Latino. It was not stated where he was born. At his worksite, his coworkers and supervisor spoke Spanish. His firm was working on the alteration or rehabilitation of an existing two-story single-family home. The day of the incident was the first day employees were working onsite. Employees had been installing and removing roofing materials for approximately one and a half hours prior to the incident. The employee was on the roof, clearing debris and installing roofing material as part of his regular job duties. He was working 20 feet (6.1 m) up, over a lower level of compact soil. The roof had a slope of 8:12. The employee was using the attachment point on the front of a body belt as the attachment point for his personal fall arrest system (PFAS). The employee became disconnected from his PFAS and fell. He fell onto compact soil below. He was transported to a major metropolitan hospital's shock trauma unit. The employee had suffered a spinal cord injury. He was hospitalized. The employer did not report the incident within 24 hours. The supervisor was working on site alongside his employees when the incident occurred. The firm's owner had discussed wearing PPE and the need to wear harnesses on a roof with his employees, but he had not conducted any formal or informal training specifically on fall protection.

Keywords: Construction, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Fall Protection, Inappropriate Equipment, Inexperience, Laborer, Language Barrier, Leg, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, PPE, Residential Construction, Roof, Roofer, Safety Belt, Soil, Spine, Supervisor, Training, Work at Elevation