Chicago Workers' Compensation Attorney Blog

Gire Construction Inc. has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for several violations that include failing to provide workers with fall protection equipment while working at elevated levels.

Construction companies that put workers at considerable risk of a work-related fall accident in Chicago or elsewhere should be held accountable for their negligent actions. Too many times these violations go undetected before a tragedy occurs and a worker gets seriously injured from falling off a rooftop or scaffolding.

Our Illinois workers' compensation lawyers want to remind injured workers that you do have rights and should pursue legal action for compensation of your injuries. Work-related injuries can be costly and should not be consumed out-of-pocket when your employer failed to provide adequate protection or a safe work environment for you and your co-workers.

The Champaign, Ill.-based construction company was first inspected by OSHA investigators on May 27 at a Decatur job site location. During that inspection, 21 workers were observed without fall protection while removing shingles from a building's rooftop. As a result, two willful violations were cited for failing to properly train workers and failing to provide fall protection.

On June 3, employees from Gire Construction were seen performing roofing work without fall protection at two separate residential sites in Champaign. OSHA inspectors cited the company for two more willful violations for not providing fall protection to employees working at elevated levels above the ground's surface. An additional willful violation was handed out for failing to provide a ladder that extended three feet over the eave of the roof.

The five willful violations totaled $140,800 in proposed fines for disregarding employee safety knowingly and not providing protection regulated by federal standards in the construction industry.

Gire Construction also received a serious violation citation for not requiring employees to wear eye protection during a September 15 inspection at a Rantoul job site. The serious violation proposed a penalty of $3,300.

Since 2004, Gire has been inspected five times. The company has been cited for 12 previous violations involving training, ladder usage and fall protection. Companies that fail to correct safety and health violations can be cited for repeat violations that usually result in stiffer penalties.

Construction companies under federal regulation are required to provide workers with proper training on how to work at heightened levels. Companies are also required to make sure job sites are equipped with fall protection such as safety nets, guardrails or personal fall-arrest systems.

Employers have a responsibility to make sure protective devices are present before a job begins. Employers should instruct all workers to use fall protection devices or risk being taken off the job. Creating a safe work environment and demanding safe practices from your employees is one way to keep workers productive and ensure the job gets done safely and correctly.