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Construction Company Cited Following Trench Cave-in

May 22, 2000

OSHA has cited Silverton Construction Co., El Paso, Texas, for\r\nsafety and health violations and proposed penalties of $103,000.

EHS Today Staff

OSHA has cited Silverton Construction Co., El Paso, Texas, for safety and health violations and proposed penalties of $103,000.

Silverton Construction Co., employs approximately 200 workers and has had two previous OSHA inspections.

The alleged violations were discovered during an inspection that took place on Nov. 22, 1999 when the El Paso Fire Department rescued an employee who had been engulfed by a trench cave-in.

Allegedly, the employer failed to provide employee protection by not keeping and using excavated material at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation, or by using retaining devices.

The company was also cited for failing to remove its employees from the hazard and failing to provide cave-in protection for employees working in a trench.

The Lubbock OSHA office has developed a local emphasis program to address unsafe construction work sites.

Silverton has 15 working days, from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal hearing with the Lubbock area director, or to contest the citations and penalties.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.