SKOWHEGAN, Maine (From news reports) -- The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued about $13,000 in penalties to the contractor that employed the worker seriously injured in a 40-foot fall Jan. 17 at the Sappi paper mill, records show.

OSHA issued two citations to Precision Industrial Contractors Inc. of Woodland, Washington, as a result of its inspection following the incident, according to records recently released to the Morning Sentinel under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

OSHA also cited Precision Industrial Contractors for failing "to prepare a written certification of fall protection training," though that citation did not result in a monetary penalty.

The inspection records, in which names and information about the worker and others interviewed were redacted, for the first time provide more details about what led to the fall.

A representative at Precision Industrial Contractors said in February the company had no comment and would not confirm whether the company employed the injured worker. Sappi North America Inc., which operates the Somerset Mill on Waterville Road, released few details in the weeks following the incident, although a 911 call transcript released by Somerset County indicated the approximate height of the fall.

According to an OSHA official's report, the worker, identified as a male by the pronouns used in the narrative, was covering openings on the flat roof to prevent water entry.

Precision Industrial Contractors was hired to install new HVAC and paper machines for the mill's multimillion dollar upgrade project.

Where the HVAC system was planned to be installed, there was a raised rectangular shaped railing constructed of square tube stock, which was covered by three or four wooden boards clamped to the frame, the report says. The worker was supposed to remove the covers and place plastic under the boards, before replacing them and reclamping the system.

The worker did not recall what happened due to his injuries, but apparently fell through the second sheet of wooden board, the report says.

"Since the injured employee fell on top of the (sheet), and the (sheet) does not have footprints on it and clamps were neatly stacked rather than strewn around the unit, it is believed that he was sliding the sheet off or to the right so that the plastic could be placed," the report continues, "and the sheet and employee went through the opening on top of the support structure (square stock frame) falling 40 feet to a mezzanine inside the facility."

The worker suffered a broken back, a broken right wrist and a severed nerve in his pelvis, according to OSHA records.

Precision Industrial Contractors claimed the incident stemmed from employee misconduct, but the OSHA investigation found "that the company does not always follow their own policy for zero tolerance therefore leading to mixed signals for employees."

As evidence of that, the report cites an email a supervisor provided to OSHA regarding a fall arrest incident that resulted in the firing of that employee. In that email, the supervisor said "his hands were tied" and he had to fire that worker as the project management company witnessed the violation.

"This comment indicates that if a supervisor in their company witnesses a safety violation, they do not follow their zero-tolerance policy of dismissal," the OSHA inspector wrote in the report. "This lack of discipline can lead to complacency and a safety culture indicating that safety is not a top priority."

The contractor also claimed that the injured worker was responsible for setting up an anchor for fall protection, the report says. But the investigation determined that other workers were already up on the roof and did not set up that system prior to the worker's fall.

As abatement for the citation, Precision Industrial Contractors and an unnamed general contractor implemented zero tolerance and retrained employees for fall protection, according to OSHA records. And more than 16 employees of various subcontractors were fired in the weeks following the fall for failure to use proper protective equipment.

In general, OSHA found that Precision Industrial Contractors' safety and health program is in line with other companies in the industry.

"They have frequent and regular safety meetings and trainings, incidents are thoroughly investigated and corrected, and employees have stop work authorization if any hazards are observed," the inspection report says.

As for Sappi, the OSHA officer conducted a separate inspection the same day as the one for Precision Industrial Contractors, Jan. 23, as the agency also received a separate complaint claiming the mill had trip hazards, blocked routes and train cars moving during shift change.

No citations were issued to Sappi as a result of that inspection. The inspection report praised Sappi for its "above average" health and safety program.