Roofing Tragedy: Teen's Death Leads to $290K Fine for Troyer Construction

A roofing job in Jamesport, Missouri, turned deadly in March 2023 when a teenage worker fell to his death. The incident, involving Troyer Construction LLP, operating as Troyer Roofing & Coatings, has thrust workplace safety and child labor laws into sharp focus. Federal investigators quickly stepped in, uncovering a series of violations that led to a hefty $290,000 penalty for the company. It’s a stark reminder of the human cost behind construction’s high-stakes environment.

John Troyer, the company’s owner, now finds himself at the center of this unfolding story. The U.S. Department of Labor’s agreement with him, announced on April 7, 2025, splits the fines across multiple fronts: $156,259 for safety breaches, $15,000 for employing minors illegally, and $118,741 in criminal fines. Beyond the dollars, the case exposes deeper questions about how businesses balance profit with the lives of their youngest workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that Troyer failed to equip workers with required fall protection, a basic yet critical safeguard on rooftops. This oversight proved fatal. Separately, the Wage and Hour Division discovered the company had employed minors in roofing tasks between May 2022 and June 2023, flouting the Fair Labor Standards Act. These laws bar teens under 18 from hazardous jobs like roofing, where falls remain the top killer in construction.

Data backs up the urgency. In 2023, the Department of Labor flagged 955 child labor violations across industries, impacting nearly 5,800 kids. Construction, with its heights and heavy gear, ranks among the riskiest. Advocates for worker safety argue these rules exist for a reason; yet, some employers still cut corners. Meanwhile, business owners in tight-knit trades often point to labor shortages and family traditions as reasons for bending the rules.

The $290,000 penalty isn’t just a slap on the wrist. OSHA’s fines, adjusted in 2025 to $165,514 for willful violations, aim to sting enough to force change. Troyer’s payout includes a chunk to the Justice Department, signaling criminal accountability alongside civil penalties. The company’s next move? Enrolling in Missouri’s On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program, a voluntary initiative that’s helped thousands of businesses spot hazards without fear of punishment.

This program, funded largely by federal dollars, has a track record of results. In Massachusetts, it caught over 29,000 serious risks in a decade, averting hundreds of injuries. For Troyer, it’s a chance to rebuild trust and compliance. Still, some question whether fines and consultations go far enough when lives are lost, while others see them as practical steps to keep small firms afloat amid stricter oversight.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Teen worker deaths have long troubled regulators and ethicists alike. Back in 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act set out to shield kids from dangerous work, a response to the Industrial Revolution’s grim toll. Yet, gaps linger. Some states, like Iowa, have eased restrictions, letting minors tackle risky tasks despite federal pushback. Supporters of these changes say it’s about opportunity; detractors call it reckless.

OSHA’s fall protection rules, sharpened over decades, now demand safeguards at six feet up, a threshold tightened again in 2025 by states like California. Compliance, though, remains spotty. Roofing’s brutal pace and slim margins tempt some to skip the gear. When a teen dies, it’s not just a statistic, it’s a gut punch that reignites debates over enforcement, training, and who’s really accountable.

Troyer’s case lands at a crossroads. The fines and fixes address one tragedy, but the ripple effects hit harder. Families mourn, regulators scramble, and businesses weigh the cost of safety against the bottom line. For young workers, especially in small towns where jobs are scarce, the lure of early cash can clash with rules meant to protect them. It’s a tension as old as labor itself.

Looking ahead, the stakes feel personal. Consultation programs offer a lifeline, penalties pack a punch, and yet the question lingers: will it be enough? As construction booms and teens keep clocking in, the push for safer sites and smarter laws isn’t slowing down. One thing’s clear, every fall leaves a mark, and not just on the balance sheet.