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Stillion Brothers Excavation Inc. of Perrysburg, Ohio is facing fines from the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for violations of safety regulations, according to sources. OSHA investigated a construction site in Columbus Grove, Ohio and determined that Stillion Brothers failed to protect its workers from trench cave-ins, amongst other safety violations.
The workers were installing steel plates in a 12-foot trench at the site. Trench excavation can be extremely dangerous, and it is very important that contractors strictly follow all safety protocols. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), cave-ins accounted for 271 worker fatalities between 2000 and 2006. 68 percent of the fatalities occurred under contractors with 50 or fewer employees. Most trench cave-ins are preventable, which is why it is important to take all safety measures when excavating.
OSHA began its investigation in December 2011 and discovered six workers using an excavator that was not installed to a safety latch. The proposed fines from OSHA total $72,820. Two of the four violations were considered “willful,” and Stillion Brothers has 15 days to either agree to pay the fines or request a hearing.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus workers comp attorneys.