Plumbing Co. Agrees to Enhance Safety Measures, Pay $225K Fine

Thursday, November 1, 2018 | 0

A Missouri plumbing company has agreed to beef up safety measures and pay a $225,000 fine to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after an employee was killed when an unprotected trench collapsed on him as he worked.

OSHA said Arrow Plumbing LLC, of Blue Springs, and its successor company, R2 Plumbing, agreed to hire a safety consultant to design and implement a trench safety program and conduct safety and health audits, provide safety training to employees, report trenching-related incidents and near misses to OSHA, conduct meetings at new work sites to address hazards, and complete OSHA trenching and excavation training courses. 

“This settlement serves as a commitment by the employer to abate the identified workplace hazards, and implement additional safety measures to make their workplaces safer,” stated OSHA acting Regional Administrator Bonita Winingham. “The employer has also committed to ensuring continuous compliance with OSHA safety standards to prevent tragedies such as trench collapses from recurring.”

The agreement resolves similar violations cited following a December 2016 trench fatality and a January 2017 inspection where OSHA observed company employees working in an unprotected trench.