A Lake Zurich roofing company faces more than $260,000 in fines after the contractor was cited for 13 violations, including repeated exposure resulting in potentially fatal falls for workers, according to OSHA.
Inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) observed Fino Exterior Inc. employees working on residential buildings without legally required fall protection equipment on four occasions in 2024.
It was the eighth time since 2020 that OSHA cited the roofing company for exposing workers to falls from heights, the leading cause of fatal and serious injuries among workers in the construction industry, the federal agency said.
The four incidents in 2024 occurred on February 6 in Palatine, June 12 in Orland Park, August 16 in Palos Heights and October 16 in Shorewood.
OSHA said Fino Exterior continued to violate federal safety regulations in the past, as the agency cited the company for 13 safety violations in three inspections in four months, increasing the proposed penalties to $262,631.
“Fino Exterior’s blatant disregard for the safety of its employees is a callous invitation to tragedy,” said OSHA Chicago South Area Director James Martineck.
“All too often, our inspectors find that contractors repeatedly violate regulations because they incorrectly assume that their workers will not fall victim to serious injuries or worse,” Martineck said.
In addition to the lack of fall protection, OSHA sued Fino Exterior for allowing its employees to work near live power lines, failing to provide employees with required safety helmets, failing to keep workers aware of the hazards, and fall protection prevention training and a lack of eye protection for workers using pneumatic nail guns and improper use of ladders.
“A worker can lose their footing and fall off the roof in a matter of seconds,” Martineck said.
“Falls from heights can cause life-changing and fatal injuries, all of which can be prevented by using the necessary protective equipment and training employees in its use. “Employers who ignore their obligations seriously endanger the lives and well-being of their employees,” Martineck added.
The company received similar citations after six inspections since 2020 and two more conducted under the company's previous name, Arellano Roofing Corp. were issued. Fino Exteriors is currently liable for $65,115 in unpaid OSHA penalties.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 1,069 construction workers died on the job in 2022 and 395 of those deaths were due to falls.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, falls caused about 20,000 workplace injuries annually between 2013 and 2022.