In 2018, Richard Zagger was overseeing employees of Northridge Construction Corporation constructing a metal shed on the Northridge property. During construction, one of the employees fell from the improperly secured shed roof and died.
This week, Zagger was indicted by a federal grand jury with conspiracy and obstruction of official proceedings related to an investigation into a fatal construction accident.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the employee’s death and violations of worker safety standards. Among other worker safety standards, OSHA regulations require maintaining the stability of a metal structure at all times during construction.
Read more: How to develop a safety culture
The four-count indictment charges that during the investigation, Zagger made false statements and conspired with others to make false statements to obstruct the federal agency’s inquiry.
The maximum penalty for the conspiracy count and each obstruction count is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the economic gain to the defendant or loss suffered by the victim because of the crime.
Source: The U.S. Department of Justice
