MICHIGAN - The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined 19 of the state's businesses for "serious violations" to COVID-19 workplace safety protocols.
“The MIOSHA investigations determined that these employers were not taking precautions to protect employees and their communities from the spread of COVID-19,” MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman said. “Failure to follow guidelines puts everyone at risk and these citations are meant to reiterate the employer’s responsibility to protect their employees.”
Fines range from less than $1,000 to as high as $7,000. Like other OSHA violations, businesses have 15 days to either contest or accept the citations.
Of the 19 businesses, nine are home remodeling, construction, and roofing firms. They are:
- American Eagle Home Improvement: Fined $2,100 for violations including lack of social distancing and failure to use masks or face coverings.
- ABSR, Inc., Story Roofing Company: Fined $4,200 because it didn’t require masks or have a preparedness and response plan, officials said. Employees were not trained on COVID-19 guidelines.
- B D Construction: Fined $2,100 for failing to require face coverings and maintain social distancing. OSHA said the company had no preparedness plan.
- Daniel Sanchez Residential Construction: Fined $2,100 for failing to require face coverings and maintain social distancing.
- D&D Roofing 4G: Fined $2,800 for no preparedness and response plan.
- Gillespie Roofing: Fined $2,100 for failing to require face coverings and maintain social distancing.
- Nain Construction: Fined $2,100 for failing to require masks when social distancing wasn’t possible.
- Valentin Roofing: Fined $2,100 for failing to require face coverings and maintain social distance where possible.
- Kauffman Construction: Fined $2,100 for failing to require face coverings and maintain social distance where possible.
A Home Depot was also fined $4,000 for failing to designate a COVID-19 workplace supervisor, conduct daily health screenings and maintain/retain documentation for screenings. It also failed to require face coverings, OSHA said.
Businesses must also prove they've fixed their issues.
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