OSHA Cites South Dakota Company $95,064
August 25, 2017
OSHA Cites South Dakota Company $95,064 after Worker Buried in Trench Collapse
United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited First Dakota Enterprises Incorporated for failing to protect its workers from trench collapse hazards.
A 34-year-old worker was completely buried on May 23, 2017 when the walls of a 14-foot trench collapsed around him. Co-workers quickly freed the victim’s head, which allowed him to breathe while emergency personnel worked for more than 30 minutes to free him.
OSHA investigators found that First Dakota Enterprises Incorporated failed to use a trench protective system or conduct regular site inspections to correct potentially hazardous conditions. OSHA cited the company, which was contracted by the City of Emery to replace the city’s main sewer and water lines, for two repeat and one serious safety violations.
“Trench collapses are preventable,” said OSHA Area Director Sheila Stanley in Sioux Falls. “It is critical that employers involved in excavation work review their safety procedures to ensure that employees are properly protected and trained. Had it not been for the heroic actions of these co-workers, this dangerous collapse may have ended in tragedy.”
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