OSHA cites two excavation contractors for exposing workers to trench cave-in hazards at a Jacksonville job site

Employer’s names: Allen’s Excavation Inc., Capital City Contracting LLC

Inspection site: 2037 Eastgate Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32308.

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Allen’s Excavation Inc. for one willful and one other-than-serious safety violation and Capital City Contracting received one willful and three serious safety violations.

On Nov. 17, 2015, an OSHA inspector saw workers in an excavation without protection and initiated an inspection as part of the agency’s National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation. Allen’s Excavation is a general contractor that subcontracted Capital City to install concrete casting to upgrade an underground drainage system.

Investigation findings: OSHA issued Allen’s Excavation a willful citation for allowing employees to work in an excavation up to 9-feet deep without cave-in protection. The agency requires that all trenches and excavation sites 5-feet or deeper be protected against collapse. Protection may be provided through shoring of trench walls, sloping or benching of the soil at an acceptable angle or by using a protective trench box. The employer was also cited for not having an operating manual for a protective trench box onsite.

Capital City’s willful citation was issued for allowing employees to work in an excavation up to 9-feet deep without cave-in protection.

The serious citations relate to the employer:

• Exposing workers to electrical hazards from frayed electrical cords.
• Not ensuring workers in the excavation wore protective helmets.
• Not providing a safe means to enter and exit the excavation.

Proposed penalties: $108,500

Quote: “Productivity and scheduling cannot ever take priority over worker safety,” said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA’s area director in Jacksonville. “Trenching and excavating is one of the most hazardous occupations in the construction industry. The only way to minimize these hazards is to follow the OSHA standards requiring engineering controls, pro­tective equipment, and safe work practices.”

The citations can be viewed at:

• https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/legacy-files/newsroom/newsreleases/AllensExcavationInc.pdf
• https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/legacy-files/documents/newsroom/releases/CapitalCityContractingLLC.pdf

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Jacksonville Area Office at 904-232-2895.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.