Modular home builder fined for safety violations
The Austin subsidiary of one of the country’s largest manufactured and modular home builders faces nearly $300,000 in penalties after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found multiple health and safety violations, the U.S. Labor Department said in a statement Wednesday.
Palm Harbor Homes, the Dallas-area-based subsidiary owned by Cavco Industries, was found flouting basic health and safety practices at its Southeast Austin factory. After two investigations that spanned four months, OSHA tallied a total of 25 serious and two other-than-serious violations. Fines for the violations total $272,479.
Workers experienced injuries related to welding operations and slips and falls, Labor Department spokesperson Juan J. Rodriguez said.
According to OSHA, Palm Harbor Homes employs more than 200 people in Austin alone and has 35 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Oregon and New Mexico.
Some of the most serious infractions took place in the roofing department.
An October 2023 inspection found that employees were “working underneath overhead work without head protection, exposing employees to the hazard of being struck-by falling objects.” This penalty alone carries a fine of $13,828.
On the same day, employees were witnessed working on roofs more than 4 feet above the ground, without guardrails, safety nets or personal harnesses. According to OSHA, falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths.
Some employees were also exposed to electrical hazards, increasing the likelihood of electrocution. Others used spray paint and airborne chemicals without proper respirators. The chemicals can be linked to respiratory illnesses and death.
The report also notes that passageways, storerooms, service rooms and walking-working surfaces were not kept in a clean, orderly or sanitary condition. One building was strewn with hoses, cables and cords, exposing employees to slip and trip hazards.
Cavco Industries could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Over the past nine years, the government agency has cited Cavco Industries for 38 workplace safety and health violations at manufacturing facilities in four states. OSHA’s online database shows two investigations were launched into falls at Cavco locations in Arizona and Oklahoma this year.
Cavco has until April 26 to either comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the investigations into the Southeast Austin factory.