Trench fatality leads to heavy fines for excavation firms
Two excavation companies have been fined more than $382,000 for failing to protect a worker who died when a trench collapsed on him this summer in western Pennsylvania.
OSHA fined Wagner Development Co., Inc. and Wagner Excavation Services, Inc. of Coraopolis $382,875. The agency said the companies failed to protect William D. Partin, 39, of Oakdale, who died June 29 when the trench where he was laying pipe for a storm water project collapsed. The accident occurred in the Trinity Park housing plan in North Franklin Township. Another worker, Robert Dempe of McDonald, was injured in the accident but survived.