Construction regulators on the prowl

If the recession hasn't put you out of business, maybe the government will.

Word among construction firms is that government regulators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are on the offensive again, coming down hard on the smallest infractions at construction sites on the Gulf Coast.

“They've added 40 new enforcement officers in the [Fort Myers] area recently,” warns Richard Durling, president of Marvin Development in Fort Myers.

The agents recently started targeting roofers, and they're moving to other trades. “In their effort to raise revenues, they're going after residential builders now,” Durling cautioned a recent gathering of the Lee Building Industry Association.

Durling says that fines for even the smallest infractions could be significant. For example, many builders may be unaware that installing simple tie beams on a single-story house requires safety equipment such as harnesses.

“Some of these fines are pretty large and could potentially put you out of business,” Durling says.