Middlesex County Construction Company Admits Fault In Employee's Death

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — In federal court this week, a construction company based in Old Bridge admitted violating federal safety standards, which prosecutors say caused the death of an employee in 2019.

The company is Zona Roofing LLC (Zona Roofing), announced U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger.

Company owner Yilbert Segura pleaded guilty Nov. 20 to one count of willfully violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. He admitted he failed to provide fall protection equipment, and fall protection training to employees who were replacing a residential roof, which caused the death of an employee.

On Aug. 6, 2019, Segura and four employees began a roof replacement project on a residential home located in Haledon, New Jersey. Despite working more than 20 feet from the ground, employees for Zona Roofing were not equipped with any personal fall protection equipment, such as safety harnesses, lanyards, tie-off ropes, guard rails, safety nets or other feasible means of fall protection.

None of the employees had received fall protection training to recognize the hazards of falling.

The job started Aug. 6 but two days later, on Aug. 8, one of Zona Roofing’s employees working on the roof lost his balance and fell approximately 22 feet to the ground, sustaining blunt force injuries to his head that resulted in his death.

The employee was not equipped with any fall protection gear, and he had not received any fall protection training. Zona Roofing was previously cited by Maryland OSHA in February 2019 for failing to provide fall protection to its employees.

Zona Roofing must pay restitution of $75,000 to the employee’s family members. Segura will be sentenced to probation.