Inspectors on a jobsite in Kent, Washington, last March reported that workers were in an 11-foot-deep trench on a storm drain project with no cave-in protection or safe way to get out of the trench.
The owner of the Osprey Group LLC of Kirkland said a trench box and ladders would be placed in the trench, but when inspectors returned the next day, workers still weren’t protected, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.
On top of that, the company was not registered as a construction contractor in the state, L&I said. “Instead, another contractor who is a friend of Osprey’s owner allowed the project permits to be pulled in his company’s name and registration number on behalf of the Osprey Group.”
Osprey Group was hit with proposed safety penalties of $170,000, which it is contesting.
L&I issued six willful safety violations, which are the most serious and are issued when an employer knew the safety requirements but ignored them.
“The owner admitted he knows the requirements,” said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. “He has 20 years of experience in trenching and excavating. This shows blatant disregard for worker safety.”
The six willful violations issued by L&I are as follows:
