Becksted Masonry Cited on Fall Protection
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Becksted Masonry with 8 violations, including 5 serious safety violations and 3 repeat violations, including fall protection. The fines total approximately $50,000. The citation stemmed from an October 2012 inspection at a Voorhees New, Jersey work site.
Based in Somerdale, New Jersey, Becksted Masonry is a masonry contractor. The family-owned business has been in operation since 1991. According to the company’s website, they mainly focus on projects in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut areas.
Fall Protection at the Heart of Construction Injuries
The three repeat violations involved a lack of fall protection, the use of scaffold cross braces to access the scaffold’s walking and working surfaces and missing toe boards. Becksted Masonry received these same violations in 2008 and 2010 at work sites in Gibbsboro, Manalapan and Voorhees.
Five serious safety violations included neglecting to provide training on scaffolds and portable extension ladder setups. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.
OSHA provides training materials on ladder safety and fall protection for workers and employers. This information can be accessed at http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/fall.pdf. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s websites offers information on various safety topics and can be retrieved at www.osha.gov. Both the OSHA 10 Hour and OSHA 30 Hour Online Training Courses contain course material on all of these topics also.
Commenting on the violations, Paula Dixon-Roderick, director of OSHA’s Marlton Area Office, stated the company’s failure to correct these hazards leaves workers vulnerable to accidents common to scaffolding, which can cause serious injury and possible death. She further emphasized the hazards can be controlled by compliance with OSHA ‘s standards with regard to ladders, scaffolds and fall protection.