July 16, 2015

Workers risked dangerous falls at Shenandoah, Texas, worksite
OSHA cites employers Gate Precast Co. and Trueblue Inc.; fines total $74K

Employer name: Gate Precast Co. and Trueblue Inc., doing business as Labor Ready

Site: Shenandoah, Texas

Date citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the employers on July 16, for exposing workers to fall hazards at a construction site.

Investigation findings: OSHA's Houston North Area Office cited Gate Precast Co. for four serious and one repeat violation. The serious violations include exposing workers to struck-by hazards, using a kinked wire rope to lift a load, failing to protect wire ropes from damage, and exposing employees to impalement. The repeat violation was for failing to protect employees and six temporary workers from fall hazards. Trueblue provided Gate Precast with six temporary workers and received two citations, for exposing workers to fall and impalement hazards, at the job site.

Proposed Penalties: OSHA has proposed $65,000 in fines for Gate Precast Co. and $9,000 for Trueblue.

Citations: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/TrueblueIncLaborReady_1064765_0716_15.pdf and http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/GatePrecastCompany_1061067_0716_15.pdf

Quote: "Falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, but these deaths can be prevented by planning, using the correct equipment and training the workers," said Joann Figueroa, area director in OSHA's Houston North Area Office.

Information: Both employers have 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report amputations, losses of an eye, 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 Houston North Area Office at 936-760-3800.

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Media Contacts:

Diana Petterson, 972-850-4710, petterson.diana@dol.gov
Juan Rodriguez, 972-850-4709, rodriguez.juan@dol.gov

Release Number: 15-1379-DAL

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