OSHA inspectors spot an unstable trench while en route to another worksite
RI company faces $56,000 in fines
OSHA inspectors who were traveling to a scheduled inspection drove past the trench worksite of a different company and saw no trench box in use. They also noticed that traffic along the road caused loose debris to fall from the trench's wall.
The unexpected OSHA visit that resulted led to a Rhode Island company, D'Ambra Construction Company Inc., being cited for a willful violation of workplace safety standards involving workers at a Newport site who were found installing pipes in an unstable trench 6 to 7 feet deep. The company faces a $56,000 proposed fine following the May 21 inspection.