U.S. Tank Painting Inc. was cited for three willful and 19 serious OSHA violations and fined $485,580 after an employee fell 80 feet inside an eight-story water tower in January 2024, suffering severe injuries — and OSHA found the same confined space rescue violation had been issued to the company in 2017.

U.S. Tank Painting Inc. — Worker Falls 80 Feet Inside Water Tower, 22 Violations (2024)

Outcome: A worker fell 80 feet inside an eight-story water tower during sandblasting and painting work in January 2024, suffering severe injuries; OSHA cited U.S. Tank Painting Inc. for three willful and 19 serious violations and proposed $485,580 in penalties — one violation repeated from a 2017 citation.

In January 2024, an employee of U.S. Tank Painting Inc. was working inside an eight-story water tower in Bayville, New Jersey that the company had been hired to sandblast, paint, and repair. The worker was climbing a maintenance tube ladder inside the water tower when he fell 80 feet, suffering severe injuries.

OSHA's investigation found that the company had failed to provide or install required fall protection systems inside the tower. Three willful violations covered the fall protection failures. Nineteen serious violations addressed a broad range of confined space and chemical hazards associated with the sandblasting and painting work inside the enclosed tower: inadequate respiratory protection for silica dust exposure exceeding safe levels, inadequate rescue planning for permit-required confined space work (a violation also cited in 2017), fire and explosion hazards from the materials used, hearing loss risks from the noise levels inside the enclosed space, and other health and safety failures.

OSHA proposed $485,580 in penalties.

Primary Source: Department of Labor cites South Jersey water tower painting contractor for 3 willful, 19 serious violations after investigation of worker's 80-foot fall