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November 30, 2007

OSHA may fine Smithfield contractor $116,200

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it is proposing $116,200 in fines against a Smithfield contractor -- with a history of violations -- for failing to provide cave-in protection for employees at three Rhode Island job sites.

OSHA said in a news release it has cited John Rocchio Corp. for alleged "willful and serious violations of safety standards" after inspecting East Greenwich and North Kingstown work sites.

"On all three occasions, the company was reminded of its responsibility to provide cave-in protection, yet we repeatedly found employees working in imminent danger situations," Patrick Griffin, OSHA area director in Providence, said in the statement. "Equally disturbing is the fact that we have cited this employer six times in the past 10 years for this same type of hazard, and this behavior has not changed."

The company has 15 days from receipt of its citations to ask for and participate in an informal cofnerencw with OSHA or to contest the citations before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

All digs of 5 feet or deeper must be guarded because walls in such excavations can collapse suddenly, "burying employees beneath tons of soil and debris before they have a chance to react or escape," OSHA said.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

For the lack of cave protection, OSHA said it gave two "willful citations" and one "serious citation," which carry a total of $109,200 in proposed fines. OSHA said it also issued three serious citations, with $7,000 in fines, for there being more than 2 feet of a trench's sidewall explosed below the trench box; letting an empoyee in a dig to work without a hardhat; and "not properly shoring a telephone pole adjacent to an excavation."

OSHA said a willful violation is committed with "plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.' A serious citation is given when a death or serious physical harm is likely to result "from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known."

Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:43 PM | Permalink

November 30, 2007

OSHA may fine Smithfield contractor $116,200

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