A Missouri roofing contractor has agreed to pay $290,000 in penalties and criminal fines after a federal investigation found multiple violations of labor laws following the death of a teen worker in 2023.
The U.S. Department of Labor said John Troyer, owner of Troyer Construction LLP—doing business as Troyer Roofing & Coatings—failed to provide federally required fall protection, which led to a fatal incident in March 2023. A separate investigation determined the company also violated child labor laws by employing minors in roofing work from May 2022 to June 2023.
Fatal fall followed lack of fall protection
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the company for not ensuring workers had adequate fall protection, a key requirement under federal safety regulations for construction work.
In addition to the $156,259 in OSHA penalties, the company will pay $15,000 in civil penalties for child labor violations and $118,741 in criminal fines to the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the settlement agreement.
Safety program enrollment part of settlement
As a condition of the agreement, the company will also enroll in Missouri’s On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program, which provides free services to help small and medium-sized businesses identify and correct workplace hazards.
The department’s Wage and Hour Division found that Troyer violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by allowing minors to engage in hazardous work that is strictly prohibited under federal law. Roofing is among the types of jobs deemed too dangerous for workers under the age of 18.
The Department of Labor continues to emphasize the importance of fall protection and legal compliance, especially in high-risk industries such as roofing.
