North Dakota Roofing Contractor Fined $105K in Worker Safety Probe

Federal labor officials say a North Dakota roofing contractor has been cited as a result of a worker safety investigation.

The U.S. Department of Labor says inspectors found Fargo-based Lorz Construction failed to provide guard rails or fall protection equipment to roofers, exposing them to falls of up to three stories. The agency says the company also failed to ensure that forklifts supporting scaffold platforms were not moved while the platform was occupied or that scaffolds were built correctly.

A message left for the company’s management seeking comment was not immediately returned.

The investigation began after a worker suffered serious injuries in May, when a forklift platform he was working on at a West Fargo construction site tipped over.

The agency is proposing $105,000 in penalties against the contractor.