Dec. 20, 2016

Plymouth Meeting contractor exposed workers to scaffolding,
fall hazards at a Philadelphia work site
OSHA fines Real Contractors $87K for safety violations

Employer name:

Vanilson Da Silva, doing business as Real Contractors LLC

Vanilson Da Silva, doing business as Real Contractors LLC

600 West Germantown Pike, Suite 400

600 West Germantown Pike, Suite 400

Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania

Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania

Inspection site:

12-330 Fairmount Ave.

12-330 Fairmount Ave.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: On Dec. 9, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the company for four repeat and two serious safety violations.

Investigation findings: OSHA began the inspection on June 10, 2016, after a compliance officer observed Real Contractors' employees exposed to fall hazards.

The agency cited repeat violations for the company's failure to provide its workers with a safe means to access scaffold platforms, fall protection to prevent falls up to 13 feet, and fall prevention training. OSHA cited the contractor for similar violations in February 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

The serious violations involved additional scaffolding hazards.

Quote: "By not complying with OSHA safety standards, Real Contractors continues to put its workers at serious risk of being injured or killed on the job. The hazards found in our inspection are all completely preventable, and must be immediately corrected by the company," said Theresa Downs, director of OSHA's Philadelphia Area Office.

Proposed penalties: $87,794

The citation can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Vanilson_Da_Silva_dba_Real_Contractors_LLC_1154452_12_09_16.pdf

The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Philadelphia Area Office at 215-597-4955.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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Media Contacts:

Joanna Hawkins, 215-861-5101, hawkins.joanna@dol.gov
Leni Fortson, 215-861-5102, uddyback-fortson.lenore@dol.gov

Release Number: 16-2367-PHI (osha 16-146)

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The department's Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).