OSHA Complainant vs. E.C. Concrete Inc.

Case Facts

ECC is a commercial constructions contractor within the Florida region. The company has been conducting business in the Florida regions since 1992. The company employs a small group of approximately 40 employees. Its primary competitive advantage is its expertise within the multi-story commercial concrete work. ECC is the only company in the northeast Florida region that provides concrete work on multi-story buildings.

On January 15, 2012 ECC was hired to expand the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort within Fernandina Beach, Florida. The primary role of ECC was to provide concrete forming, pumping, placing, and finishing of 5 buildings. The project was scheduled to be take a year to complete, and in February 2013, work was concluded.

Prior to completion, an incident involving ECC staff occurred on August 1, 2012. According to records, an ECC staff member, with the assistance of a crane, placed approximately 12; 17-foot long shoring beams on the top of a scaffold. The beams rested on the 7th floor, with each weighting approximately 60 pounds. During the lift, the crane became entangled with the scaffold causing aluminum beams to fall, injuring two ECC employees on the first floor.

Due to the accident, an OSHA representative conducted an inspection of the accident site on August 1, 2012. The representative arrived at approximately 10AM to conduct his investigation. As a result of his investigations, OSHA issued numerous citations were issued to ECC for violations of working standards. Citations were issued for...

In addition, citations were given for exposing employees to falls hazards throughout the working environment. Citations totaled $14,280.00
Case Issues

The ECC contented that many of the OSHA violations did not occur. ECC also argued that many of the proposed solutions desired to make the work environment safer, would actually hinder safety performance. Presented below is the reasoning and applicable laws argued by both parties regarding the incident. Each compliant concludes with the court's decision and comments regarding the matter.

According to OSHA guidelines and applicable laws, the ECC was required to protect employees from tripping in or stepping into or through holes. Upon his investigation, the OSHA representative found on the 7th floor 12 inches wide, 20 inches and 8 inches deep. The hole according to ECC was used to place items into. The ECC also contended that the hole was within an area marked off with yellow warning tape. As a result of this contention, a violation was not established.

The OSHA representative also cited the ECC with failing to protect employees exposed to falling objects. The applicable law states that barricades should be in use in areas in which objects could potentially fall. In addition, contractors are required to keep objects far away from an edge in which they may fall. ECC stated that the beams in question did not merely fall over the edge but was propelled over the 7th floor onto the 1st floor. Therefore, ECC contented that they could not have known…