Botticello Inc., Manchester, Connecticut, exposed a worker to “deadly hazards” that contributed to his death when the trench he was working in collapsed, according to an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The worker was connecting drainage pipe at a residential development in Stafford, Connecticut, on July 22, 2022, when the 8-foot-deep trench collapses and burying him.
The investigation determined that Botticello’s failure to provide legally required safeguards and ensure that they were in place contributed to the worker’s death.
In a separate incident in November 2015, OSHA inspectors identified four serious violations related to trenching work by Botticello at a Stafford worksite.
“This deadly cave-in and the worker’s death should never have happened,” Dale Varney, area director. “After a previous OSHA inspection, Botticello Inc. knew of the dangers of working in an unprotected trench and the need to inspect the trench and ensure required effective cave-in protection was in place before any employee entered the trench. The company, however, still chose to ignore these required safeguards and now a worker’s family, friends, and co-workers are left to grieve.”
OSHA citations against Botticello Inc.
Failing to provide the trench with a protective system to prevent it from collapsing and caving in on workers,
Failing to have a competent person conduct inspections before and during the work to identify and correct any hazardous conditions before employees entered the trench, and
Failing to ensure that the 135-foot-long trench contained sufficient means of egress to allow employees to safely exit.
As a result of the violations and the employer's prior knowledge, OSHA cited Botticello Inc. for three willful violations and proposed $375,021 in penalties.
Source: OSHA
