Connecticut state labor and licensing regulators say they recently swooped onto a Danbury apartment complex under construction and discovered a half-dozen unlicensed plumbers and electricians working at the site, among other violations.
Two state agencies – the Departments of Labor and Consumer Protection – said their Oct. 19 joint inspection of the Abbey Woods Apartments and Club House construction site at 55 Abbey Lane, uncovered numerous violations.
They found seven individuals allegedly working for two contractors without licenses or apprenticeship certificates.
As a result, both firms received citations for failing to ensure workers were properly credentialed, authorities said: Tried N Tru Plumbing of CT Ltd., operated by Richard L. Solano, of Yonkers, N.Y., allegedly had five unlicensed employees, who identified themselves as plumbers, installing the drain, waste and vent piping without holding any licenses or apprenticeship cards.
Another, Aerial Electric, operated by Victor L. Rupenski, of Naugatuck, allegedly had two people, who identified themselves as electricians, installing receptacles and switches without electrical licenses.
Also, state labor enforcers issued “stop work orders’’ to five companies that were unable to provide proof of worker’s compensation coverage, allegedly with the intent of misclassifying workers as independent contractors:
• Comex Painting LLC of Danbury
• Rowland Steel of Brookfield
• Easton Steel of Yonkers
• New York Gypsum Floors, Inc. of Mount Vernon, N.Y.
• Tried N Tru Plumbing (doing business as Water Source) of Yonkers
Stop Work orders result in the halting of all activity at a cited company’s worksite, as well as a $300 civil penalty for each day the company does not carry worker’s compensation coverage.