Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
Inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration discovered impalement and cave-in hazards at a construction site in Newton, Massachusetts. The Newton-based general contractor and its concrete subcontractor were working on a synagogue under construction and OSHA found workers in excavations up to 14 feet deep that lacked protection against a cave-in. These cave-in hazards were made even worse by the fact that there was no safe means of exiting the excavation. Warmer weather could also cause the soil to thaw.
As a result of these unsafe working conditions, OSHA has issues both companies four willful citations with $84,000 in proposed fines for each company. In addition, the general contractor faced four serious citations with $7,200 in proposed fines for a total of $91,200 in proposed fines. The subcontractor was issued two serious citations on top of the four willful citations for a total of $87,600 in fines.
Both companies have fifteen business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director, or contest the findings.
Source: Builders Cited for Impalement, Cave-In Hazards at Synagogue Site, OHSonline.com, March 13, 2010
If you have been injured on the job, then please contact our Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyers.
