A Zion, Illinois-based construction company has been cited for the second time in six months for failing to provide fall protection for workers, a violation that federal inspectors say continues a pattern of safety breaches.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Corner Construction Corp., operated by Miguel A. Esquina Reyes, after inspectors observed employees working without legally required fall protection equipment while roofing a residential structure in Glencoe in August 2024. OSHA issued three citations to the company — one willful, one repeat, and one serious — with proposed fines totalling $266,175.
The latest penalties follow a similar citation in February 2024 when Corner Construction was fined $19,015 for failing to provide fall protection at a worksite in Downers Grove. Since 2022, the company has been cited multiple times for similar violations and currently owes $82,000 in unpaid penalties, according to OSHA.
“OSHA often finds contractors violating the same safety regulations repeatedly, because they believe their workers will not fall victim to injury,” said Sukhvir Kaur, OSHA’s Chicago North Area Director, based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. “It takes just seconds to lose footing, to fall off a roof and suffer serious and all-too-often fatal injuries. Miguel Reyes continues to show a chronic disregard for safe work operations and a willingness to jeopardize his employees’ lives and well-being.”
Falls from elevation are the leading cause of death and serious injury in the construction industry. In 2022, 1,069 construction workers died on the job, with 395 deaths attributed to falls, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
OSHA’s stop falls website provides educational materials and video presentations in English and Spanish on fall hazards and proper safety protocols.
