Dive Brief:
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A Maine roofing contractor who reportedly refused to correct a number of safety violations despite citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and an order from a federal court has been found in contempt by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
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OSHA issued 11 safety citations at 11 work sites for Lessard Roofing & Siding and Lessard Brothers Construction, of Greene, ME. The U.S. Department of Labor, in its March request for a contempt citation, claimed owner Stephen Lessard refused to correct the violations and has not paid $405,000 in fines.
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The appeals court ordered Lessard, who reportedly never responded to the citations, to pay the fine. Lessard told local media that he is guilty of only “some” of the violations and was not notified about a scheduled hearing.
Dive Insight:
Federal officials said Lessard continues to operate unsafe construction sites, pointing to numerous citations for fall hazards between 2000 and 2011. Plus, OSHA added a $287,000 fine for an additional fall-related hazard early this year.
The court’s ruling came two days after a 35-year-old roofer fell to his death while working on top of Vikings Stadium in Minnesota and one of his colleagues was injured. Investigators have not revealed whether the workers were wearing OSHA-required safety harnesses.
If Lessard does not pay the fine and correct the alleged violations within 20 days, he could face jail time.