U.S. Department of Labor issued the following announcement on May 27.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Jax Utilities Management Inc. for exposing employees to cave-in hazards at a Jacksonville, Florida, worksite. The construction contractor faces $56,405 in penalties.
OSHA initiated the inspection as part of the National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation after an investigator saw two employees working in an excavation without cave-in protection. OSHA cited the company for exposing employees to struck-by hazards by failing to adequately slope the walls of the excavation or use a protective system, and provide head protection. In 2017, OSHA cited Jax Utilities Management Inc. for a similar violation involving lack of cave-in protection.
“Excavation work is dangerous if employers fail to take required precautions to identify and eliminate hazards,” said OSHA Jacksonville Area Office Director Michelle Gonzalez. “Employers can contact OSHA for compliance assistance with trenching and excavation requirements.”
OSHA recently updated the national emphasis program on preventing injuries related to trenching and excavation collapses. The agency’s trenching and excavation webpage provides additional information on trenching hazards and solutions, including a trenching operations QuickCard and a “Protect Workers in Trenches” poster.
Original source can be found here.