Kabco Builders fined $81K after worker suffers fatal 10-foot fall
An OSHA investigation has determined that Kabco Builders Inc., a mobile home manufacturer, could have prevented the death of a 62-year-old employee. The worker was straddling a two-foot-wide space between a platform and a mobile home’s roof while they were loading shingles. The worker slipped and fell 10 feet, suffering fatal trauma. According to OSHA, the incident could have been avoided if the company was following required fall protection standards.
During the investigation, Kabco Builders was cited for 10 serious violations. These violations include:
- Failing to provide fall protection
- Not properly training employees performing roof work at heights of 4 feet or more
- Not properly training forklift operators
- Failing to require all workers to wear necessary personal protective equipment
- Because of these violations, the company faces $81,463 in proposed penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Office Director Joel Batiz said, “As falls from heights continue to be the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries in all industries, employers like Kabco Builders must know and understand the importance of fall protection standards and related training. Following these well-established safety requirements can mean the difference between an employer seeing its worker ending a shift safely or having to watch as a worker’s family, friends and co-workers grieve a needless tragedy.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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