Colorado company cited for exposing employees to fall hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Century Communities Inc., based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, for exposing employees to fall hazards. The company faces $132,598 in penalties.

An OSHA inspection at a Century Communities Inc. construction site revealed that the company failed to conduct regular inspections of the jobsite and ensure that workers used adequate fall protection during framing and roofing activities. OSHA conducted the investigation under the Regional Emphasis Program on Fall Hazards in Construction. The initiative, which began in the region in 2017, emphasizes inspection of commercial and residential construction operations having potential fall from elevation hazards.

Construction is one of the industries targeted in OSHA's Five Year Strategic Plan. Accidents relating to falls from elevations are one of the leading causes of serious injuries and fatalities, according to OSHA. Even seemingly short falls can be dangerous—according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics news release from 2015, “falls to a lower level accounted for 81 percent of all fatal falls. Of those cases where the height of the fall was known, more than two-fifths of the fatal falls occurred from a height of 15 feet or lower.”

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citation 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.