Roofer Dies After Sliding Off a Two-Story Roof Into an Empty Pool — OSHA Fines Pasat Roofing $172K
FORT LAUDERDALE — Two roofers slipped from a two-story Florida residence and landed in an empty swimming pool — one died and the other was seriously injured. On April 24, 2026, OSHA cited their employer for willfully exposing workers to fall hazards, proposing $172,324 in penalties against Max Home Services LLC, operating as Pasat Roofing and Solar Energy.
The Incident
On September 24, 2025, two Pasat Roofing workers were installing tarp on the roof of a two-story home when they slipped and fell into the empty pool below. One employee suffered fatal injuries; the other sustained serious injuries. OSHA investigators found the men were working at heights of over 20 feet with no personal fall protection whatsoever.
The Investigation
The agency cited the employer with one willful violation for allowing both employees to work without personal fall protection. The willful classification matters: it means OSHA concluded the employer knew the requirement and disregarded it.
The investigation didn’t stop at the roofline. Pasat Roofing also failed to adequately train employees to recognize fall hazards in the first place — workers can’t protect themselves from dangers no one taught them to see. And the company had no hazard communication program for employees using hazardous chemicals, adding a second serious violation to the tally. In total, OSHA issued one willful and two serious violations.
What Happens Next
Pasat Roofing and Solar Energy has contested the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, so penalties and citations may be adjusted as the case proceeds.
Lessons to Take Home
Falls remain the number-one killer in construction, and this case shows why “it’s just a quick tarp job” is never a reason to skip the harness. Short-duration work is precisely when crews cut corners — and gravity doesn’t care whether the job takes ten minutes or ten hours. The empty pool is also a reminder to look at what’s below the work area: the landing surface can turn a survivable fall into a fatal one.
Every worker at height needs three things before they climb: fall protection equipment that fits the task, an anchor plan, and training to recognize the hazards around them. If any of the three is missing, the job waits.
Don’t let your crew learn this lesson the hard way — run through our detailed talk on fall protection before the next job at height.
