Oct. 23, 2017

PITTSBURGH, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Pittsburgh masonry contractor for exposing workers to serious dangers including fall and electrical hazards after an employee was fatally electrocuted in April.

On April 20, 2017, OSHA conducted an investigation of Ski Masonry LLC after a 21-year-old laborer doing restoration work at a Pittsburgh residence was electrocuted. The residential and commercial masonry contractor received two willful and five serious citations for violations, including knowingly allowing employees to work within 10 feet of overhead, energized, and uninsulated electrical lines, failing to provide fall protection, and using scaffolding without a secure base plate.

“Ski Masonry knowingly took unacceptable risks when performing masonry work close to overhead powerlines,” said OSHA Area Office Director Christopher Robinson, in Pittsburgh. “Companies must assess their worksites and follow all safety requirements to prevent such tragedies from recurring.”

OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $201,354, and has added the company to its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP).

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed 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.