Contractor fined $600K by OSHA for Lehigh Valley worksite violations

A Bala Cynwyd-based construction company is being fined more than $600,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for three instances of exposing employees to fall hazards at worksites in the Lehigh Valley.

The roofing contractor, Webb Contractor Corp., faces a total of $605.371 in penalties for the incidents that occurred on separate dates and on three sites late last year.

According to OSHA, it initiated its first inspection on Sept. 6, 2019 after a compliance officer observed employees performing residential roofing work without proper fall protection at a worksite in Macungie.

At that time OSHA said the employer voluntarily agreed to remove the employees from the hazardous condition.

OSHA said it later responded to complaints of fall hazards and made two additional inspections, one in Emmaus on Oct. 1 and one in Bethlehem on Oct. 11.

OSHA said as a result of the three separate inspections it cited the company for eight willful, two repeat and three serious safety violations for failure to provide fall protection and exposing employees to safety hazards.

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

Webb could not be reached for comment.