OSHA cites Appleton roofing contractor for fall hazards

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Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety inspectors have fined an Appleton contractor $281,485 for performing residential roof work without required fall protection equipment.

Inspectors with OSHA observed three workers employed by Bacilio Rios – who operates as Chilos Construction — near the peak of an Appleton home and another employee operating a leaf blower on its roof with no form of fall protection on July 7, 2023, despite the risks of injuries.

“Far too often, OSHA inspectors find roofing contractors like Bacilio Rios ignoring federal safety regulations and allowing the construction industry’s most deadly hazard to endanger workers’ lives and well-being,” said OSHA Area Director Robert Bonack in a news release. “Bacilio Rios must take his legal responsibilities seriously and protect his employees before someone is seriously hurt or worse.”

OSHA cited Bacilio Rios for four repeat violations and assessed $281,485 in proposed penalties. The violations included the company’s failure to provide fall protection equipment or train employees how to use it, improper use of ladders and failure to train workers on hazards related to falls and ladders. The agency cited Rios for similar violations in October 2022; citations for which the company has failed to respond.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its 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.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, of 1,015 construction workers who suffered fatal on-the-job injuries in 2021, 379 of them died in falls.