New Jersey Contractor Faces Severe Penalties for Repeated Safety Violations

Adrian Construction Group, a New Jersey-based residential carpentry and framing contractor, has come under fire from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for its repeated failure to protect workers from fall hazards. This latest citation marks the fifth time since 2016 that OSHA has identified safety infractions by the company, leading to its addition to the Severe Violators Enforcement Program. The serious nature of the violations, particularly those related to fall protection, underscores a troubling pattern of neglect towards worker safety.

In July 2023, an OSHA inspection initiated under a local emphasis program targeting falls in construction resulted in six willful violations against Adrian Construction for not providing fall protection and failing to ensure the use of eye protection. Additionally, four serious violations were cited for the use of unsafe scaffolds and not providing hard hats to protect against overhead hazards. These infractions have culminated in a proposed penalty of $1,017,248.

OSHA Assistant Secretary Doug Parker emphasized the company’s "blatant disregard" for employee safety, indicating that being placed on the list of severe violators will lead to increased scrutiny of the company’s operations. Adrian Construction, owned by Adrian Perea and employing 20 workers, now faces a critical decision point. The company has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before an independent review commission.

This action by OSHA highlights a significant concern within the construction industry, especially in light of statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reported 1,069 construction worker deaths in 2022, 395 of which were due to falls from elevations. The case of Adrian Construction Group serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by workers in residential framing and roofing, some of the most hazardous occupations in the construction sector.