OSHA has proposed $54,250 in fines after twice finding workers exposed to falls between 24 and 26 feet while engaged in brick maintenance work in East Boston, MA. OSHA says workers were observed working on a makeshift form comprised of a fiberglass extension ladder laid horizontally atop a pump jack scaffold. On a second occasion, workers were observed facing similar fall hazards while standing on a work platform consisting of half an aluminum ladder and two dressed pieces of lumber. Other alleged hazards include improperly installed lifelines, scaffolding that wasn’t braced, an unguarded roof edge and walkway and inadequately or improperly used ladders. Other problems alleged by OSHA include a lack of fall protection, a lack of scaffold hazards training, the absence of a competent person to inspect for, identify and correct hazardous conditions, a lack of head protection, an unguarded saw blade and electrical hazards.

[Star Service Corp., East Boston, MA, Jan. 25, 2010]