Recently, in February of 2022, a construction company located in Boston was imposed with additional OSHA penalties for a worksite incident that happened in February of 2021. Two workers died in downtown Boston from an accident at the worksite when a dump truck knocked them into a nine-foot trench. The owner and one of the employees of Atlantic Coast Utilities (contractor) were indicted for three counts of perjury because they lied on forms they submitted to obtain permits.
The lies made on the forms stated that the company had no prior OSHA violations, which was false. The company was cited for violations in 2016 and 2019. A 2016 citation was from a trench collapse that killed two workers and resulted in the owner being convicted of manslaughter. The company has faced violations from OSHA as well as civil lawsuits from the families involved in the 2016 and 2021 incidents.
If you or a loved one was severely injured in a worksite accident, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. The Boston personal injury attorneys at Colucci, Colucci, & Marcus, P.C. can help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible parties.
Initial OSHA Penalties Imposed
After OSHA conducted an investigation, they cited the Boston contractor with 28 violations at the worksite. The violations amounted to a proposed $1.35 million in fines. OSHA has classified the violations as willful, repeat, serious, and other-than-serious and can be grouped into safety and health violations.
The company was cited for ongoing instances and constantly ignoring or avoiding work-related hazards. They are also cited for “a long history of ignoring the safety and health of its employees.” The most recent incident occurred because the company failed to follow federal safety and health regulations. These specific regulations were in place to keep workers safe and avoid the exact type of incident that occurred.
Additional OSHA Penalties Imposed
Almost a year after the accident, the contracting company is now facing eight additional violations—four willful, three serious, and one other than serious violations. The new penalty imposed for the eight violations is $624, 777, which brings the total fines to nearly $2 million.
The additional penalties that were imposed came from an investigation by OSHA after responding to a complaint. The investigation found that the company failed to properly secure the worksite from “excavation cave-ins, conduct inspections, train employees, stabilized adjoining structures, and provide protective helmets to employees.”
The company is facing these violations, perjury violations, and wrongful death claims for negligence in the death of the workers. Incidents like these can be avoided by following safety regulations put out by regulatory bodies.
Contact Our Boston Personal Injury Attorneys After a Serious Worksite Accident
Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. is here for you if you have lost a loved one in a workplace accident and suspect carelessness. We have a caring staff that can assist you in obtaining the information you require. Our Boston wrongful death lawyers understand that these cases are not about the money. Instead, they are used to hold negligent parties accountable and to prevent future loved ones from dying as a result of the same mistakes.
Contact Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. now to book a free consultation. You can do so online or by calling (617) 698-6000. Our professionals are ready to assist you.
