Maine contractor held liable for $1.57M fine after roofer’s death

The owner of a Maine home improvement company was held personally liable for $1.57 million in penalties issued by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration following the death of an employee.

OSHA announced on Wednesday that a federal administrative law judge determined Shawn D. Purvis, who operates Purvis Home Improvement Co. Inc., willfully exposed workers to roofing fall hazards in three municipalities between 2018 and 2019.

Although Mr. Purvis runs his business as a corporation, an Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission administrative law judge found Mr. Purvis personally liable for the penalties, according to OSHA.

The judge dismissed a claim that the company’s workers were independent contractors not protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, instead finding the roofers were employees.

Mr. Purvis and his business were cited for 14 willful, two repeat and four serious workplace safety violations after a series of inspections, including one following the December 2018 death of a worker who fell more than 21 feet from a steep-pitched roof in Portland.

OSHA said that Mr. Purvis failed to ensure that his workers had adequate fall protection at job sites.

After the fatality, OSHA said it found similar hazards at sites in Old Orchard Beach and Springvale, where employees were exposed to falls without property safety devices.