West Town excavation company cited for safety violations

A West Town excavation company is facing nearly $70,000 in fines after being cited for safety violations by the federal workplace agency.

OG Plumbing LLC, based at 400 N. Ada St., was cited for one willful and one repeat safety violation for not providing cave-in protection or a safe means of exit for employees installing a water line in a trench more than 6 feet deep, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

OSHA opened an investigation after two employees were seen working in an unprotected trench at a home under construction on Western Avenue on March 10, 2015, according to the agency.

“An unprotected trench can bury a worker under thousands of pounds of soil in seconds and cause severe or fatal injuries,” OSHA’s area director Angeline Loftus said in a statement.

“Since 2000, OSHA has cited OG Plumbing five times for violating federal trenching standards. The company knows that every trench deeper than 5 feet must have cave-in protection,” Loftus said.

Proposed penalties for the violations total $69,300, according to OSHA.