A Medford roofing contractor has been fined a hefty $103,438 after Oregon OSHA found it repeatedly put its workers dangerously close to the edge. The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division determined that JAM Construction Inc. failed to adequately protect its employees from fall hazards during an inspection at a Central Point job site. Workers there were at risk of tumbling from heights up to 13 feet, violating safety regulations for which the company is now paying a steep price, as per the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.
In what seems to have become a pattern, the construction company failed again to ensure necessary fall protections were available and properly utilized. According to Oregon OSHA's report, this isn't JAM Construction's first rodeo with negligent safety practices; it's their third since April 2022. Renée Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA, made the stakes clear: "Any employer who directs workers to do job tasks at heights must make sure those workers are protected against fall hazards. It is a requirement, not an option," as cited by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.
Fall-related accidents are a leading cause of death in the construction industry, making these violations far from trivial. JAM Construction reportedly did correct the identified fall protection violation during Oregon OSHA's inspection. Still, the cascade of repeat offenses resulted in a fine with its zeros echoing the heights from which workers might have fallen. Under the Oregon Safe Employment Act, workers have a right to a safe and healthy workplace, a mandate that employers must seriously heed.
