This roofing contractor just got fined more than $400,000 for repeated safety violations
Washington state has fined a Snohomish roofing company more than $400,000 for reportedly disregarding safety rules for the second time in five months.
The state Department of Labor & Industries announced the fine against Allways Roofing, a frequent violator of state safety rules, in a Thursday news release.
The state has fined the company more than $3.7 million since 2019 and it has paid the state less than $250,000 so far. In that time, the company has violated safety rules 60 times, according to the news release. The state also has recorded dozens of violations over the past 10 years.
The latest inspection resulted in $433,718 in fines, including four “egregious, willful repeat violations of fall protection rules,” the news release says. This is the most severe penalty the state can impose.
Allways Roofing faced $442,654 in fines for similar violations in June as well.
Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division on Occupational Safety and Health, said in the news release that the state will continue to inspect, cite and fine Allways Roofing in an effort to protect workers.
“The requirements are clear,” Blackwood said. “If Allways Roofing is getting cited this often, it means they’re purposefully ignoring the rules to save time and make money.”
The release says the state has been and will continue to subject the company to greater scrutiny as it remains in a Severe Violator Program.
The department opened its latest investigation into the company in April, according to the news release. It was prompted by a referral that reported workers on a two-story house without connected safety harnesses or eye protection in a Mount Vernon neighborhood.
Inspectors reportedly photographed two workers, including the job-site lead. They found the workers were wearing harnesses that were not hooked to an anchor point to prevent them from falling off the roof, the news release says.
The state says falling from heights is one of the leading causes of workplace deaths and serious injuries. So far, the state has recorded seven serious injuries, including five falls from heights and two eye injuries from nail guns, at Allways Roofing.
The company’s contractor registration is currently suspended until it pays $22,426 in past due workers’ compensation premiums, according to the release.
The state says Allways Roofing is not appealing the latest fines. The Olympian requested comment from Allways Roofing on Thursday, but they did not immediately respond.
People who are looking for roofing or construction work can visit ProtectMyHome.net to review the safety record of potential contractors. The site also allows people to check a contractor’s registration, licensing, insurance and other information.
