Participating in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program hasn’t raised Robert Barringer’s awareness about fall protection and employee safety.
The Illinois roofing contractor has again been cited by OSHA to the tune of $214,782 after a recent inspection at a home construction site in Troy found workers exposed to fall hazards.
"Robert Barringer exposed employees to fall hazards, and failed to comply with federal safety requirements to protect workers on the job putting them at serious risk of injury or worse," said Aaron Priddy, OSHA's area director in Fairview Heights. "Fall protection is required whenever employees work at heights greater than 6 feet."
Since 2006, Barringer’s various business entities including Barringer Brothers Roofing, Barringer Brothers Inc. and Barringer Brothers Construction Inc. previously have been cited for fall protection and other safety hazards, and his company remains in default on OSHA penalties.
A previous EHS Today article published in Aug. 2016 examined the 19th round of citations that OSHA doled out to the roofing contractor, noting lack of fall protection along with numerous other safety violations. However, Barringer still has not implemented any personal fall arrest systems or an accident prevention program despite being cited numerous times.
On Jan. 3, 2017, OSHA issued four willful and two serious safety violations to Robert Barringer III who currently operates as Barringer Brothers Roofing after observing roofers working at heights greater than six feet without adequate fall protection on July 1, 2016.
The four willful violations include the absence of an accident prevention program, lack of eye and face protective equipment with use of nail guns; no personal fall arrests, guardrails or safety net systems for workers at heights and anchorage points used for the attachment of personal fall arrest systems were not independent of the anchorage points used to suspend platforms.
Barringer Brothers Roofing 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.