A federal judge has issued an order holding a Lincoln contractor in contempt of court for not complying with a subpoena from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Christopher Arps, who does business as Capital City Roofing and Construction, is facing fines of $100 a day and potential arrest if he does not comply with the subpoena by Friday.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. also ordered Arps to pay more than $5,900 in legal fees and costs incurred by OSHA.
OSHA opened an investigation into Arps and his company after one of his employees experienced a cardiac arrest on a job site on Feb. 8 of last year.
The employee, who was not wearing fall protection, fell off of a duplex roof and sustained serious injuries.
According to OSHA, Arps denied the incident had occurred and refused to provide inspectors with information they requested.
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After Arps rebuffed several other OSHA attempts to work with him, the agency issued an administrative subpoena on Feb. 27, seeking documents related to his business, employees and worksite and safety practices.
OSHA said Arps ignored the subpoena, forcing it to file a lawsuit to enforce it.
Arps then failed to appear at a show cause hearing on May 26, leading an OSHA attorney to file a petition seeking to hold him in contempt of court.
“An employee of Capital City Roofing and Construction suffered serious injuries because his employer failed to protect him from falls. Falls remain the construction industry’s leading cause of death and injuries,†OSHA Area Director Matt Thurlby said in a news release. “Christopher C. Arps’ repeated denial of the injuries and refusal to cooperate with federal investigators shows a disturbing disregard for his employees’ safety.â€
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Top Journal Star photos for January 2024
Lennie Kuszak of Ord carries a flag that reads "God is pro-life" during the annual Walk for Life rally outside of the Capitol on Saturday.
Kayla Newnam works on her Nebraska-inspired mural at the Hub Cafe, on Tuesday in Lincoln. Three years into her national murals project, "Out There Murals," Newnam is well on her way to her goal of painting a mural in every state. Newnam, based out of Phoenix, Arizona, started the project during the pandemic and has been crisscrossing the U.S. "It has been three years, two trucks, two trailers and three dogs, and now I'm on mural 18," Newnam said. Lincolnites are invited to come and meet Newnam on Wednesday at the Hub Cafe as she works on the latest mural between 5-9 p.m.
Dat Tran tosses a bluegill back into the water while ice fishing at Holmes Lake on Friday. The ice measured at approximately 8 inches thick, but it probably won't stay that thick for long. While weekend highs are expected to remain in the mid to upper 30s, Lincoln is headed for a warmup next week. High temperatures are forecast to be in the low 40s Monday-Wednesday, with 50s possible Thursday and Friday.
High School students in the welding course sit on a table as they meet with Gov. Jim Pillen during his tour of The Career Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in Lincoln.
TCA is one of Lincoln Public Schools’ focus programs and it’s a collaboration between LPS and Southeast Community College (SCC). The program allows high school juniors and seniors to take specific career pathways courses while earning credits from LPS and SCC.
Students are silhouetted by the sun glare coming from a window as they work in independent study rooms at Kiewit Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. Kiewit Hall, the six-story, privately funded, $115 million building on the UNL campus, is the academic hub for engineering education. It connects five engineering facilities and is home to the construction management program. It offers a mix of multi-purpose classrooms, instructional labs, engineering student services, maker spaces for student organizations and a large outdoor plaza. It opened to students on Jan. 22, 2024.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln turfgrass science and management freshman Josh Hong cheers as he is shown on the video board during the Ohio State game on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Columbus' Colin Jaster bowls during the HAC Bowling Championships on Wednesday at Sun Valley Lanes.
Second grade student Ethan Sedivy, 8, holds up a globe in front of a wall mural of 174 various world flags, of which he drew 167 of, as it is displayed in a classroom at Morley Elementary School, on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. Ethan’s passion for geography has sparked new friendships throughout the school, especially with immigrant students. He is currently working on a Geography Bee for Morley’s fifth graders. He has plans to continue his project, even adding some posters to add facts and populations of the various countries he has learned about.
Wahoo's Gretchen Seagren (left) and Malcom's Abby Zegar collide while going for a rebound during the game on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, in Malcom.
Nebraska's Keisei Tominaga (30) celebrates after making a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the Huskers' win over Northwestern on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Performers take part in the Lion Dance during a Karen New Year celebration Sunday at Lincoln High School. The Karen Society of Nebraska put on the event, which celebrates the culture of the Karen, an ethnic group from Myanmar and Thailand. The celebration featured a fashion show, traditional dance performances, music and food.
Nebraska's Jamarques Lawrence (10) high-fives alumni as he takes to the court before the match against Northwestern at Pinnacle Bank Arena, on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Lincoln.
A corncob sign hangs on the plexiglass for the Cornhusker Bonspiel tournament on Saturday. Ten curling teams from across the country competed in the tournament.
A customer places a sports bet on a kiosk at WarHorse Casino on Friday. The state's four racetrack casinos brought in just over $89 million in revenue from slot machines, table games and sports betting in 2023.
Bundled up students enter Sheridan Elementary School before the start of the school day on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Lincoln.
Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during the annual State of the State address at the Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024.
Michigan's Taylor Williams (left) and Laila Phelia (right) compete for a rebound with Nebraska's Alexis Markowski (center) in the first half on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Lincoln East's Grant Schwerdtfeger (top) wrestles Millard South's Austin Summers in the 190-pound match on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Lincoln.
Lincoln Northeast's head coach Matt VanEngen writes "How Bad Do We Want It ?!?" on his dry erase board during a timeout in the final two minutes of the second half at Lincoln Northeast High School, on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024.
Black Hills Energy workers use machinery to dig into the ground in front of the rubble of a home that exploded early Tuesday morning near North 53rd and Gladstone streets. A neighboring house also sustained fire damage.
John and Ashley McClinton look at their son Buddy at their home in Lincoln on Monday. Weighing 14.1 ounces at birth, he is the smallest baby born at Methodist Women's Hospital in Omaha to survive and be discharged with minimal support.
Snow topped apartments are seen through a third floor window stairwell on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Lincoln.
A man wearing a leopard print blanket braves bitter cold gusts of snow and wind as he walks down South 17th Street, on Friday.
Nebraska's Alexis Markowski (40) attempts a shot against Illinois in the first half Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska's Keisei Tominaga (30) reacts after scoring a 3-pointer against Purdue in the second half on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska's Juwan Gary (4) celebrates with fans after the Huskers defeated No. 1 Purdue on Tuesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.Â
Nebraska Wesleyan students Lucas Steuter (from left), Riley Cleaver, Jacob Wertz, and Zane Rosenberg try to hold together as they fly down a hill on their sleds at Holmes Lake on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024.
Ryan Gardner (left), production stage manager for "Les Miserables," works to adjust lighting on stage at the Lied Center for Performing Arts on Tuesday.
Traffic is seen moving down K Street in the snow on Monday.
Nebraska's Jaz Shelley (front) competes for the ball with Indiana's Sara Scalia in the first quarter on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska's Peyton Robb looks to pin Wyoming's Cooper Voorhees in the 157lb match at the Devaney Sports Center, on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.
Wyoming's Mason Ding is taken to the floor after a leg sweep by Nebraska's Nash Hutmacher in the Heavyweight match at the Devaney Sports Center, on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.
Mike Alessi (center) jumps during the General Tire Arenacross Nationals event on Friday at Sandhills Global Event Center. The show will be back again tonight at the Event Center at the TractorHouse Pavilion. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. and show starts at 7 p.m. The track was built using 150 dump truckloads of dirt.
Chloe Wolff shows off some of the bracelets Friday that she made to raise money for local nonprofits.
Lincoln East's Landon Moser slams Kearney's Taj Wilson to the mat during the 165lb match, during a dual held at Lincoln East High School, on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.
A red panda eats bamboo leaves that came in a wrapped present at the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday. As part of an enrichment day, zookeepers shared holiday-themed treats — a lettuce Christmas tree for the tortoises and Christmas "cookies" for the giraffes — to help stimulate the animals' natural behaviors.
Nebraska's C.J. Wilcher (0) celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer in the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.
Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha (left) speaks to Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner during the first day of the Legislature on Wednesday.
Lincoln East's Avari Wischhof swims the girls 100-yard freestyle during a dual against Omaha Marian on Tuesday at Lincoln East. Wischof won this event and helped the Spartans set a pool record in the 400 relay.
Omaha Marian's Willow Petri spins through the air as she completes a dive in the Girls 1 meter diving event, during a Swim dual held at Lincoln East High School, on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, in Lincoln.
Maryland's Allie Kubek (14) reacts after being called for a foul against Nebraska's Alexis Markowski (not pictured) in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena, on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.
A pair of walkers stroll atop the dam at Holmes Lake at sunset on Saturday. Weather in Lincoln this January is expected to be frigid. Single-digit temperatures are expected at least for the first week.
A pig is seen on the desk of Gov. Jim Pillen, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Lincoln.
Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.
Matt Olberding
Associate managing editor
