DOL, OSHA settle case with contractor involving teen worker’s fatal fall

In April, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reached an agreement with a Missouri roofing contractor after an investigation determined the contractor violated federal laws that led to a teen worker’s fatal fall in March 2023.

OSHA, which enforces safety regulations for workers of all ages, found that the roofing contractor failed to provide employees with the required fall protection.

A separate DOL investigation discovered the contractor also violated federal child labor laws under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by employing minors illegally in roofing work from May 2022 to June 2023.

The FLSA prohibits minors from working in any roofing occupation. This includes any roofing occupation on a roof as well as on the ground, as well as any work requiring the youth to work on or about a roof.

Under the agreement, the contractor must pay $290,000, which includes:

• $156,259 in OSHA penalties,
• $15,000 in child labor penalties, and
• $118,741 in criminal fines to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The company will also enroll in Missouri’s On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program.