OSHA Inspection: SAHLEM'S ROOFING & SIDING INC.

Issued

Jan 18, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.501(a)(2): Employees were allowed to work on surfaces which did not have the requisite strength and structural integrity:      a) On or about 08/01/17, on the flat high roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY: Employees operated heavy powered cutting machines with a rotating blade that had an adjustable height.  The employer did not determine that the roof had the strength and structural integrity to safely support these employees and the machines. No fall protection system was used.      b) On or about 08/01/17, on the flat high roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY:   The employer did not determine that the roof had the strength and structural integrity to safely support these employees.  No fall protection system was used.      c) On or about 08/01/17, on the flat high roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY: Employees were allowed to stand on the exposed existing metal decking and sweep it to remove any residual material that might be stuck to the metal decking. The decking gave way and an employee fell approx. 28 ft. to the concrete floor inside the building. The employer did not determine that the existing metal decking had the strength and structural integrity to safely support these employees.  No fall protection system was used.          NO ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jan 18, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.501(b)(10): Each employee engaged in roofing activities on low-slope roofs with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet or more above lower levels, was not protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, or a combination of warning line system and guardrail system, warning line system and safety net system, or warning line system and personal fall arrest system, or warning line system and safety monitoring system:       a) On or about 08/01/17, on the flat high roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY: Employees were removing the existing built-up roof, and installing a TPO Rubber Roofing System on the upper roof of the building. The roof was flat and the employer chose to use a wire rope guardrail system, and installed it along the perimeter of the roof to protect employees from falls off the roof edge.  On the west side of the roof,  the guardrail system was down, and laying on the roof surface for a span of approx. 20 ft., exposing employees to a fall of approx. 28 ft.            NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jan 18, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1): Each employee on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge which was 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level was not protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems:    a) On or about, 8/01/17, on the flat lower roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY: In order to access the upper roof, employees climbed a extension ladder that was set up on the ground on the south side of the building, exited the ladder onto the lower roof, walked north to a ladder that was set up at the intersection of the east & south walls of the building, climbed that ladder and exited onto the high (upper) roof. The process was reversed to exit the upper roof. No roofing work was being performed on the lower roof.  Prior to approx. 10:20 AM on 08/01/17, there were no guardrails, barricades, flags, or cones set up on the lower roof to prevent employees from walking directly into the ladderway opening or venturing onto other areas of the lower roof which was approx. 16 ft. above the ground.  After 10:20 AM, just 4 cones with a flagged warning line through them was put in place to define part of the access path. This was not adequate.                                           NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jan 18, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.501(b)(4)(ii): Each employee on a walking/working surface was not protected from tripping in or stepping into or through holes (including skylights) by covers:    a) On or about 08/01/17, on the flat high roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY: Employees were exposed to falling approx. 28 ft. through either of two large holes created when the existing metal decking had been removed between ceiling beams at the very north end of the roof. A safety monitor was present, but no guardrails or personal fall arrest system was utilized in that area.      NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jan 18, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.502(b)(9): The employer failed to ensure that wire rope used as a top rail was flagged at 6-foot intervals with high-visibility material:         a) On or about 08/01/17, on the flat high roof of commercial building at 275 Woodward Avenue, Tonawanda, NY: Employees were removing the existing built-up roof, and installing a TPO Rubber Roofing System on the upper roof of the building. The roof was flat and the employer chose to use a wire rope guardrail system installed along the perimeter of the roof to protect employees from falls off the roof edge in accordance with OSHA Construction Standard 1926.501(b)(10). There were no flags installed on the top cable of the wire rope guardrail system on both south sides, on the east side between the two ladder access points, and on the south half of the west side of the high roof.      NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED