Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Cal/ OSHA and Work Safety Violations: Employer Sentenced to 1 Year for Employee’s Death

To know the importance of safety in the workplace, look at what happened to a California roofing contractor and his foreman, who was recently sentenced to one year in county jail for the death of an employee in January 2008.

“Safety first” is a common reminder posted in many workplaces. But despite this, serious accidents continue to occur, involving workers in various places of work.
The state Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has again reminded California employers to provide necessary protections for their workers to prevent similar accidents.

What really happened?

According to a statement by the DIR, Antonio Martinez, 39, was one of the workers working at a roofing project at a four-story apartment building located at 646 Corbett Avenue in the Twin Peaks area of San Francisco, when he fell 38 feet to the sidewalk below.

After investigations, it was found that there were no safety measures in place at the worksite, which is a clear violation of Cal/OSHA regulations. It was also revealed that although the foreman was present to oversee the work, no workers were wearing a harness or any type of protection. Moreover, there were no railings, scaffolds or other barriers to prevent a fall nor written safety policies or training conducted as required by the agency.

As a result, the violations lead to the tragic loss of life for a worker.
If you are injured in an accident caused by workplace violations of safety regulations, you can consult with our experienced California employment and labor law attorneys. Call us at 866.325.4529 and avail of our free case analysis.