OSHA inspectors reported seeing four Apex Exteriors Inc. employees exposed to the risk of falling over 25 feet from a roof. The workers were installing shingles at a residential construction site without proper fall protection in January. The company also did not follow ladder safety regulations. According to OSHA standards, fall protection is required when employees are working six feet or higher above the next lower level.

The latest incident was the seventh time since 2010 that Apex Exteriors has been cited for fall violations at Illinois work sites. OSHA statistics reveal falls from elevation are responsible for 40 percent of deaths among construction workers. “One false step can be debilitating or fatal to a worker without fall protection,” OSHA’s North Aurora, Illinois, area director Jake Scott said in a statement.

The agency held its annual National Safety Stand-Down Week between May 2 and May 6. Their goal is to encourage employers nationwide to discuss workplace safety with employees. The campaign also urges employers to commit to implementing fall safety measures to protect employees and prevent accidents.

The garbage truck hit Monica Warner’s vehicle as she was exiting a driveway and entering East Fabyan Parkway. The accident occurred at approximately 6 a.m. Warner was killed, while the driver of the truck received minor injuries. Warner was 23 years old and was a resident of North Aurora.

The lawsuit claims that the driver, Matthew Flood, operated the vehicle negligently, and that the company, Flood Bros. Disposal Co., did not maintain the vehicle properly. Flood is 22 years old and is a resident of Carol Stream.

According to the lawsuit, the vehicle did not have proper brakes or a functioning horn. The complaint also alleges that the driver was traveling at a rate of speed that was too high and was driving without regard for the safety of others.

According to court records, Flood did not have any criminal charges filed against him in association with the accident.

Paul Greenberg is a Chicago wrongful death lawyer with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.