CALIFORNIA: Jail time for owners who failed to provide fall protection

Two owners of a San Francisco roofing company are on their way to jail, following the death of an employee who fell from a roof. During the investigation into the employee’s death, Cal/OSHA discovered that there were absolutely no safety measures in place at the worksite; no workers wore fall protection and there were no railings, scaffolds or other barriers to prevent employees from falling several stories to the ground below. In addition to fining the company over $70,000 for the egregious violations of Cal/OSHA regulations, the San Francisco District Attorney’s office also prosecuted the owners and sought jail time. Now the owners will be spending one year in county jail for their blatant disregard for their workers’ safety (Cal/OSHA press release, 5/23/11).
 
Tips: Don’t let this happen to you! Employee safety should always be a top concern, but if you need more incentive for complying with safety regulations, keep in mind that willful violations can result in stiff penalties and jail time. To make sure you’re doing everything you can to comply, call your Vigilant safety professional.