A Sun Prairie construction company is once again being sanctioned by federal regulators for not better protecting its workers from falls and hazards, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. GL Construction of Madison LLC faced similar sanctions after one of its workers was crushed by a wall and died two years ago.
After observing six of the company’s employees at a Verona residential construction site, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officers opened an inspection, reporting that workers doing framing work were 12 feet off the ground without required protective equipment. OSHA ultimately found one willful, two repeat, and five serious violations on Feb. 21 at the site, including:
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Failure to maintain accident-prevention programs;
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Failure to provide workers with appropriate ladders and guardrails while installing building trusses and framing; and
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Failure to provide workers with safety glass while using nail guns.
The company also reportedly exposed workers to falls and other hazards at a Sun Prairie worksite in October 2023. The April 2022 incident — in which an employee died after being struck by an over 1,000-pound wall that tipped over as a work crew tried using a crane to lift the structure in high winds — led OSHA to cite the company for nine serious and two other-than-serious violations.
OSHA said the contractor has been found violating regulations in each of the last four years and has failed to pay past federal penalties or comply with terms of a past settlement. Gabriel Lopez Orduno is GL Construction’s registered agent, operating the business out of a Sun Prairie home, according to state Department of Financial Institutions records.
The company has 15 business days after receiving the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
