The fall occurred sometime between 7 and 8:30 a.m., but a more precise time was not possible because no one witnessed it happen, according to Sugarcreek Twp. Fire Chief Jeff Leaming.
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Leaming said the man was working alone on one side of the roof and two co-workers were working on the other side. When the other workers didn’t hear the man working and went to investigate, they found him lying on a concrete pad on the ground.
Leaming said when first responders arrived, Flores was wearing a safety harness, but the rope used for protection from falls was not attached to it.
Agents with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to the scene and are investigating the workplace fatality.
An OSHA spokesperson was unable to confirm who Flores’ employer was and declined to comment further.
The investigation by OSHA could take up to six months and can result in citations and penalties, if workplace safety violations are determined.
Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, according to OSHA records. Falls are preventable when employers provide the proper equipment, such as ladders, scaffolds and safety gear, and workers use them and are trained on how to set them up and use them, according to OSHA.
The apartments under construction where the man died are in the White Oakes Landing development, which was approved for construction in December 2015, according to Sugarcreek Twp. records.
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The multi-family development calls for 203 units in single-story buildings that have attached garages, according to the records.
The developer on the project is Cleveland-based Redwood Acquisition LLC, and the contractor hired to build the development is Pride One Construction based out of Medina.
Brett McWilliams, Pride One Construction project manager, said his company is working with the authorities to learn more about what happened.
“We are truly, deeply saddened by this situation. Our hearts go out to his family and the people he was working with,” McWilliams said.
Kris Conwill, chief product officer for Redwood Living Inc., said it appears to have been an “unfortunate accident.”
“We work with our vendor partners to ensure safety measures are complied with and followed and that they meet all required regulations,” Conwill said.
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