August 16, 2021

US Department of Labor cites Colorado home manufacturing company
for continuing to expose workers to falls at Pueblo facility
Employee injuries in 2020, 2021 lead to follow-up inspections, 13 violations

PUEBLO, CO – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has again cited a Pueblo home manufacturing company for exposing employees to defective scaffolding and ladders, and failing to train workers on scaffolding safety.

Two follow-up inspections by OSHA in February 2021 at Key Structures LLC led the agency to cite the company for 13 willful, repeat and serious violations. OSHA initiated the inspections after the company failed to abate numerous violations found in September 2020 and January 2021 investigations that involved workers falling from a scaffold and a ladder.

OSHA's most recent inspection identified one willful violation for using damaged scaffolding, one repeat for failing to train workers on scaffolding safety; and seven serious violations, including unsafe use of ladders and scaffolding, failure to use personal fall protection and unsafe storage of compressed gas cylinders. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $222,055.

"Key Structures' willful and continued negligence shows an intentional disregard for worker safety," said OSHA Area Director Chad Vivian in Greenwood Village, Colorado. "Falls are a leading cause of worker deaths which is why employers must train workers on scaffolding safety and comply with fall prevention standards. Our job to hold them accountable when they don't."

Formed in 2018, Key Structures LLC is a subsidiary of The Challenger Group, a privately held real estate and construction company headquartered in Colorado Springs.

Key Structures has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Learn more about scaffold and ladder safety.

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Media Contacts:

Chauntra Rideaux, 972-850-4710, rideaux.chauntra.d@dol.gov
Juan J. Rodríguez, 972-850-4709, rodriguez.juan@dol.gov

Release Number: 21-1462-DEN

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).