It’s happened again. A newspaper photo shows workers breaking OSHA violations. The photo showed three workers painting a foot-bridge above a creek. Their use of ladders placed in the creek came into question.

The workers were putting the finishing touches on the Baker Park swinging bridge in Frederick, MD.

The photo, published in The Frederick News-Post, showed the workers from the city’s Public Works Department painting as they stood on stepladders in the middle of a creek.

A wooden plank stretched between two ladders. Two workers were standing on the plank.

A resident, who identified himself as a retired federal OSHA official, wrote to a Frederick County commissioner, saying that the photo captured several safety violations.

“I can only imagine the financial impact to the taxpayers if one of those workers had fallen and sustained a serious injury, or even worse death,” wrote Walter Bailey, the former safety official.

The mayor of Frederick said officials were aware of the safety problems and were addressing them.

As we’ve noted, this isn’t the only example of potential safety violations being brought to light by a newspaper photo.

Here’s some irony for you: The bridge had been closed to the public for more than four years … for safety reasons.

Tags: Frederick News-Post, newspaper photo, painting, stepladder safety