Oklahoma Construction Contractor Fined For 2019 St. Joseph Worker Fatality

An Oklahoma construction contractor will pay six figures in criminal and civil penalties for reportedly ignoring federal safety regulations, resulting in a 2019 Saint Joseph worker fatality.

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says Skinner Tank Co. entered into a deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to pay 370,680 dollars to avoid federal prosecution on one count of ignoring federal safety regulations.

OSHA says the company did not require employees to use fall protection while working on the roof of a 56-foot soybean storage tank nor provide fall protection training.

On October 14, 2019, an employee on the Saint Joseph storage tank roof died after falling more than 50 feet to the ground.

OSHA says Skinner Tank Co. also provided inaccurate safety information by telling employees wearing fall protection presented a greater hazard than not wearing it.

Founded in 1982, Skinner Tank Co. is a Yale, Oklahoma, company that builds welded steel storage tanks across the country.