Roofer Falls 25 Feet to His Death. OSHA Finds the Company Had Been Warned Before.

On September 24, 2025, two workers were installing a tarp on a property in Florida when they fell into an empty pool. One suffered fatal injuries. The other was seriously hurt.

Neither worker had personal fall protection equipment. They were working at heights exceeding 20 feet.

OSHA investigated and cited their employer, Max Home Services LLC — doing business as Pasat Roofing and Solar Energy — for one willful violation and two serious violations. Proposed penalties: $172,324.

The willful citation means OSHA determined the company intentionally and knowingly allowed employees to work without fall protection at dangerous heights. The two serious citations cover inadequate fall-hazard recognition training and the absence of a hazard communication program.

The employer has contested the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Fall Protection: 15 Consecutive Years as the Most-Cited Violation

For the 15th consecutive year, fall protection tops OSHA's list of most frequently cited standards. In fiscal year 2025, the agency issued 5,914 fall protection citations.

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls to a lower level account for approximately one-third of all construction fatalities annually.

The regulations are not ambiguous. OSHA Standard 1926.501(b)(13) requires employers to protect workers from falls of 6 feet or more in the construction industry. For roofing work specifically, guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems are mandatory.

The Willful Designation

A willful OSHA violation carries the highest penalty tier: up to $165,514 per violation in 2025. More significantly, when a willful violation causes a worker's death, it can trigger criminal prosecution. Federal law provides for fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to six months for a first offense, doubling for subsequent convictions.

Criminal referrals from OSHA remain rare. But the willful designation means the agency determined this was not an oversight — the employer knew the hazard existed and made no reasonable effort to address it.

The Pattern

This case is not unusual. It is typical. OSHA cites the same violations at the same types of companies year after year. Small and mid-size roofing contractors account for a disproportionate share of fall protection citations. The economics are predictable: fall protection equipment and training cost money. Some contractors choose not to spend it. Workers die as a result.

The $172,324 proposed penalty in this case — for a death — amounts to roughly three months' wages for a journeyman roofer. Whether that dollar amount is sufficient to change behavior across an industry where falls kill hundreds of workers annually is a question OSHA's penalty structure has failed to answer for 15 consecutive years.

What Workers Should Know

You have the right to refuse work that puts you in immediate danger. OSHA's whistleblower protections prohibit employers from retaliating against workers who report unsafe conditions.

If your employer does not provide fall protection equipment at heights of 6 feet or more, that is an OSHA violation. Report it to OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or file a complaint online at osha.gov.

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