The U.S. Department of Labor has taken action against Bacilio Rios Almanza, a roofing contractor in Wisconsin, for serious safety violations. This comes after an investigation revealed that Almanza failed to protect his workers from dangerous fall hazards while they were working on a residential roof in Appleton in September 2024.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Almanza for two willful violations and one serious violation. The issues included not providing necessary fall protection equipment, failing to train workers on how to stay safe from falls, and allowing employees to work without hard hats. As a result, OSHA has proposed fines totaling $262,174.
This isn’t the first time Almanza has faced scrutiny. OSHA has inspected his job sites ten times in the past and has issued citations for similar safety violations before.
Almanza now has 15 business days to respond to the citations. He can either comply with the penalties, request an informal meeting with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
The consequences of not adhering to safety regulations can be severe, not only for the workers but also for the business. Ensuring a safe work environment is crucial in the construction industry, where fall hazards are a leading cause of injuries and fatalities.