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U.S. Department of Labor | |
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| Occupational Safety & Health Administration | ||||||
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OSHA News Release
2003 - 03/20/2003 - Trenching Fatality at a Denham Springs, La., Worksite Brings OSHA Citations Alleging Willful Violations Of Safety Standards |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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Region 6 News Release: OSHA-03-38 Thurs., March. 20, 2003 Contact: Diana Petterson or Elizabeth Todd Phone: (214)767-4776, Ext. 222 or 221 Trenching Fatality at a Denham Springs, La., Worksite Brings OSHA Citations Alleging Willful Violations Of Safety Standards DALLAS -- A Watson, La., homebuilder's alleged failure to protect employees from a trench cave-in that allegedly caused the death of one employee has resulted in proposed penalties of $76,750 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor. Atlas Corp. was cited with two alleged willful and four alleged serious safety violations following an OSHA inspection that began Jan. 7 after a trenching fatality that occurred at the company's worksite in Denham Springs, La. The company, which employs about 21 workers, was installing sewer pipes in a developing subdivision. The alleged willful violations were for failing to protect employees working inside trenches from cave-ins and failing to properly slope or shore trenches and take appropriate action when a cave-in hazard is recognized. A willful violation is defined as an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The alleged serious violations were issued for failure to perform daily excavation inspections, failure to provide trained personnel in first aid response, and failure to instruct employees on how to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions. A serious violation is one that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the Baton Rouge area director, or to contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call the Baton Rouge OSHA area office at (225) 298-5458. Or, OSHA's toll-free hotline number may be used to report workplace accidents, fatalities, or situations posing imminent danger to workers. The number is 1-800-321-6742. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. ### U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. |
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OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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