Safety Violations at Florida Construction Site

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed penalties totaling $120,150 against four contractors for 18 safety violations found during an inspection of the City Walk construction site in Palm Coast, Fla. "OSHA expects employers to take action when they recognize safety hazards," said James Borders, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville. "Delaying these efforts due to cost or time considerations is unacceptable and will result in large penalties for employers."

OSHA inspectors proposed that Central Florida Restoration Specialists LLC receive three willful violations with a $66,000 penalty for failing to maintain guardrails at walkways and elevator shafts and failing to provide fall protection at stairways and stairway landings. The Palm Coast company also was cited for two serious violations with a $1,400 penalty for hazards related to poor housekeeping on the jobsite and lack of a handrail. OSHA cited Robert Hoyt Construction LLC of Hollister, Fla., with three willful violations carrying proposed penalties of $49,500 for failing to maintain guardrails and provide fall protection. Poor housekeeping at the jobsite and lack of a handrail on an enclosed stairway resulted in two serious violations with $1,050 in penalties.

Del Electric Inc. of Brunnell, Fla., was cited with two serious violations and a $600 penalty for not providing fall protection. The company also was cited with an other-than-serious penalty for lacking a safety and health program. Artica Stucco Services Inc. was cited with three serious violations carrying $1,600 in penalties for missing guardrails and lacking fall protection. The Orlando, Fla.-based contractor also was cited for two other-than-serious violations for not providing required OSHA logs and lacking a safety and health program.