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P. Gioioso & Sons Inc., a Boston-based contractor, has agreed to settles fines levied by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA cited the company—which is no stranger to safety violations—for trenching cave-in hazards at work sites in Cambridge and Framingham in Massachusetts.
According to OSHA reports, officials discovered workers at both sites in unprotected trenches. OSHA initially proposed $354,000 in fines but agreed to settle for $200,000. As part of the settlement agreement, P. Gioioso & Sons must notify OSHA of all excavation jobs in the next three years and allow OSHA officials access to inspect them without a warrant. P. Gioioso & Sons must also put a comprehensive safety plan into effect that involves an annual third-party audit.
“The company will be paying a hefty fine, but more importantly, it will be investing heavily in the safety and health of all of its workers through a very significantly ramped up safety and health program,” said OSHA’s Christine Eskilson. “This company has now committed itself to entirely re-engineering its safety and health processes, and we intend to hold the company to that commitment.”
It is great that this contractor has a clear and concise plan to improve safety at its sites, as opposed to simply paying a fine and moving on. Please visit our site for more information on workers comp and contact our firm for a free consultation.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus workers comp attorneys.