Osha

joasis

This happened up the road from me, local mechanical contractor. I heard an employee was fired for some reason, and dropped a dime on them.

DRUMMOND (AP) — The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed $142,800 in penalties against a construction company for not properly protecting employees working in trenches in Drummond.
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The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Tuesday it found violations at two construction sites operated by Enid-based Luckinbill Inc.

OSHA found violations including failure to properly slope soil so it would not collapse inward and failure to ensure employees were wearing high visibility vests.

Hector Covarrubias, safety manager for Luckinbill, did not immediately return a call for comment.

Read more: http://newsok.com/osha-proposes-pena...#ixzz0RyBpe7Md

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CScalf

ouch...

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"Your problem does not constitute an emergency on my part"

ChrWright

Ouch indeed.

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Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here

naptown CR

betcha it was a plumber It's always plumbers

CScalf

People don't realize that stupid mistakes like that can bankrupt companies...

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"Your problem does not constitute an emergency on my part"

steves

Beats this one.



Region 1 News Release: 09-1131-BOS/BOS 2009-305
Wed., Sept.23, 2009
Contact: Ted Fitzgerald
Phone: 617-565-2074
BRAINTREE, Mass. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Lawrence-Lynch Corp. of Falmouth, Mass., for alleged willful and serious violations of safety standards following an excavation collapse at a worksite at 396 Gifford St. in Kingston, Mass. The construction contractor faces a total of $69,300 in proposed fines.

Lawrence-Lynch Corp. employees were working in a 5.5-feet-deep excavation, connecting a water line to a fire hydrant, when one of the excavation's sidewalls collapsed. One employee was struck by large pieces of unsupported asphalt from atop the sidewall and partially buried. OSHA's inspection found that the excavation lacked any sort of protection to prevent a collapse and that the asphalt had not been removed or supported to prevent it from falling on workers in the excavation.

"This case clearly shows that an unprotected excavation can turn deadly in seconds, trapping and burying workers before they can react or escape," said Brenda Gordon, OSHA's area director for Boston and southeastern Massachusetts. "While it is fortunate that no deaths occurred this time, worker safety cannot and must never be a matter of chance. Never place an employee in an excavation without collapse protection."

As a result of its inspection, OSHA issued Lawrence-Lynch Corp. one willful citation, with a $63,000 proposed fine, for the unprotected excavation and one serious citation, with a $6,300 fine, for not supporting or removing the asphalt atop the excavation.

OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health. Serious citations are issued when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known.

NJ Brickie

One reason the fines were so high is that the violations were found at two different sites from the same contractor. This makes the violations willful. They will hammer you for willful violations.