Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(13)(i): When work was performed less than 6 feet (1.6 m) from the roof edge, the employer did not ensure each employee was protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, travel restraint system, or personal fall arrest system. The employer is failing to protect employees from fall hazards. The guardrail system that existed along the perimeter of the furnace building roof was removed in approximately January of 2018. The employer failed to replace the guardrail until sometime after April 14, 2019 when a fatal fall from the roof occurred. During this period, the employer allowed employees to access the roof to perform various work tasks, such as dust cleanup, maintenance work, and extinguishing fires. To perform these tasks employees performed work less than 6 feet from the roof edge without any form of fall protection. On April 14, 2019, an employee attempted to extinguish a fire on exhaust fan #4 on the north side of the furnace building roof. While performing this work, the employee was less than 6 feet from the unprotected roof edge and without any form of fall protection. While fighting the fire, the employee fell approximately 25 feet to the pavement below. The employee suffered fatal injuries as a result of the fall. At least three months before the fall, the employer had been notified that a guardrail needed to be installed in order to protect employees accessing the roof and to comply with 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(13). Abatement documentation is required for this violation.