'The fines are a slap in the face': Grieving father wants greater fines after son dies falling from roof at work
The North Carolina Department of Labor cited a local business with a total of six alleged violations after an employee died on the job.
Posted — UpdatedA single father died after falling from a roof at work. Now, his father wants justice and greater fines for companies that violate safety regulations.
The North Carolina Department of Labor cited a local business with a total of six alleged violations after an employee died on the job.
The DOL cited Squeaky Clean with four alleged serious violations and two alleged nonserious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina with a total penalty of $17,051.80.
That’s not enough for Strathern’s father, Devin Gilgor.
"The fines are a slap in the face," he said. "It’s less than $20,000 in fines. These people are not indispensable. These people have families."
Since Strathern’s death, Gilgor has been looking into the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) laws and standards.
"This was avoidable," he said.
Strathern was a single father to a young son, whom Gilgor now cares for.
“To see the baby reach all of these milestones, and his father missing all these things, is just excruciating," Gilgor said.
According to OSHA, improper fall protection is the number one violation found at work sites.
Squeaky Clean was cited with the following serious alleged violations:
- Did not ensure portable ladders used to gain access to an upper landing surface had side rails that extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface ($1,000)
- Did not ensure each employee on a walking-working surface 4 feet or more above a lower level was protected from falling by: guardrail systems; safety net systems; or personal fall protection systems ($4,350.60)
- Did not train each employee in the nature of the fall hazards in the work area and how to recognize them ($4,350.60)
- Did not train each employee in the procedures to be followed to minimize the fall hazards in their work area ($4,350.60)
Squeaky Clean was cited with the following nonserious alleged violations:
- Did not report to OSHA within 8 hours after the death of an employee as a result of a work-related incident ($3,000)
- Did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identified the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed, the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and, which identified the document as a certification of hazard assessment ($0.00)
The maximum penalty for each serious violation is $14,502. The General Statutes say that the Department of Labor has to take into consideration various factors such as the gravity of the violations, the size of the business, the good faith and cooperation of the employer, and the history of previous violations.
Gilgor said the fines should be heftier and companies should be held more accountable. WRAL News asked the labor department if and when workplace deaths could lead to criminal cases.
Gilgor hopes that what happened to his son can be the start to change and wider awareness.
WRAL News has tried calling and emailing Squeaky Clean and its owner but got no answer.
The company has 15 working days from when they received the citations to respond.
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