A worker died at an apartment building. A North Miami company faces a $32,000 OSHA fine
A company that manages several apartment buildings in North Miami and North Miami Beach faces a $32,002 fine after a worker died while working on one of its buildings, the U.S. Department of Labor announced.
OSHA’s investigation cited Prestige Estates Property Management for three workplace safety violations in the Nov. 20 death of a worker from a 20-foot fall off an aerial lift. Prestige also got hit with two more violations for not promptly reporting to OSHA either the death or another workplace injury regarding hospitalization.
When investigators looked into the tragedy at the Arlington Manor Apartments, 12501 NE 13th Ave., in North Miami, they found and cited the following problems:
▪ Prestige Estates didn’t “develop and implement an accident prevention program.”
▪ An employee worked from the aerial lift basket and not using fall protection, such as the required body belt and lanyard attached to the basket.
▪ Prestige didn’t make sure its employees and subcontractors knew how to recognize and avoid fall hazards before using an 800HJ aerial lift.
Prestige has until June 9 to request an informal conference with the OSHA area director, contest the violations or pay the fine.
State records say Prestige Estates has been managed by Elvis Dumervil since its creation in 2016 as Prestige Territory Property Management.
Two messages left for Elvis Dumervil at Prestige Estates’ offices by the Miami Herald were not returned. A third phone call received a pickup and wordless placing on hold for several minutes. A fourth phone call was not answered.
