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A Bend construction company has been hit with a $103,438 fine for repeatedly violating rules meant to protect workers from fall hazards, state regulators said.

An inspection at a residential job site 鈥渇ound multiple employees working on a roof without fall protection,鈥� exposed to a potential 18-foot fall, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division stated in a news release Thursday.

It was the third time since January 2022 that Sky Ridge Construction LLC had been found in violation of the fall protection requirement, according to Oregon OSHA. The fine was multiplied because of the repeat offenses, the agency stated.

Sky Ridge Construction was fined for 鈥渞epeatedly violating a requirement to provide protective systems to safeguard workers from fall hazards that could seriously injure or kill them,鈥� Oregon OSHA stated.

The company was established in 2017. It鈥檚 registered to Oscar Manuel Gonzalez of Bend. Sky Ridge Construction listed its business activity in state records as 鈥済eneral construction, including framing, sheathing, cement, drywall, etc.鈥� Attempts to reach Gonzalez were unsuccessful.

Falls are a leading cause of death in the construction industry, according to Oregon OSHA.

鈥淭here is no good reason for an employer to direct employees to work at heights without ensuring fall protection systems are effectively used,鈥� Oregon OSHA administrator Ren茅e Stapleton stated. 鈥淎ny employer can get the job done safely by ensuring employees who are working at heights are protected. It鈥檚 not an option; it鈥檚 a requirement. Workers have a right to work safely, and employers must make that right a reality.鈥�

Employers have 30 calendar days after receiving a citation to file an appeal.