I just had a client accept my quote to do a regular house Wash. But she wanted to warn me that her neighbor work for osha and slap the tree guy with a $70000 fine. My question is there anything I should do other then have a respirator on so I don’t get a fine. I looked on here for the answer but it seemed that all was related to doing roof clean.
Depends. Do you have employees or just yourself doing the work?
No it’s just me!
No worries if just you…
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OSHA typically doesn’t apply to independent contractors or self-employed individuals. So, if it’s just you, no employees on site (paid or unpaid), and you are not doing anything that could subject another person to unnecessary danger or harm then you should be good to go.
Of course, none of that means that you shouldn’t work as safely as possible regardless.
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Ok thank you!
@Jarel Good article here that confirms what @DisplacedTexan said. It isn’t a bad idea for you to wear one either, whether OSHA requires it or not. I started wearing one for house washing this year and it takes a little getting use to but I think it is worth it in the long run to safeguard your health.
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Good way to look at it to is if you have good health and safety practises in place, you don’t have to worry about getting in trouble because they caught you doing something you shouldn’t
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OSHA didn’t apply to the owner, only employees. I got five figure fine on my guys but not on me
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Thank. I read it tonight. That’s something i need to do more
Oh wow, what for?
I edited it, Five figures. $45k and some change. Ladder not extended above roof line, guys on roof without fall protection cleaning gutters
Still, thats a lot of money! Are you the only one that goes up on the roof now or do they wear fall protection?
I don’t do gutters anymore. I was not fined though. Fines were for the guys and ladder placement.
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Damn, how did they deal with it?
Ok wait, so your employees got hit with fines? Did they have to pay that?
I think that OSHA maximum fine is $16k. I beive ups is in hot water over the lack of ac in trucks and 2 deaths lately.
$45k is absurd, almost criminal. Are they implemented to teach people a lesson or ruin their lives?
I got fines for several violations. No, the employees didn’t pay for the fines. I got the fines.
I may be wrong but I believe osha is self-funded by fines either way I think it’s to teach us a lesson and the lesson I learned was don’t do gutters
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