MIAMISBURG, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited A.H. Sturgill Roofing Inc. for two serious safety violations after a worker died from complications caused by heat stroke on Aug. 22, 2012.
“Sturgill Roofing has a responsibility to mandate that workers take frequent breaks in the shade and drink plenty of water during adverse heat conditions, which poses a risk of injury or death,” said Bill Wilkerson, OSHA’s area director in Cincinnati. “Employers must train their supervisors and workers to recognize the warning signs of heat illness and take appropriate action.”
The 60-year-old temporary worker sustained heat stroke while working in direct sunlight on a commercial flat roof, performing tasks consisting of throwing rubber roofing material into a dump truck on the ground. The worker was hospitalized due to work-related heat exposure on Aug. 1.
Two serious violations involve failing to provide a program addressing heat-related hazards in the workplace and to train workers on recognizing the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses, including taking preventive measures, such as consuming adequate amounts of water. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=23580
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