Site inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration visited a project run by GoldStar Excavation and Sewer, Commerce City, Colorado, and found that the company was ignoring the same federal safety standards that could have prevented the death of an employee in the summer of 2022.
In March 2023, OSHA inspectors determined that a worksite in Fort Collins, Colorado, included trenching hazards to which employees were exposed, among them the foreman injured in the August incident.
See also: How emergency responders manage trench rescues
In that incident, an unprotected section of the excavation wall caved in, injuring the foreman, and a 17-year-old worker suffered fatal injuries after being struck in the head by a large chunk of asphalt. The employees were working on a residential sewer connection.
After an investigation, OSHA issued a serious citation to the Commerce City contractor for its violation of federal law, and proposed $15,625 in penalties, an amount set by law.
Following the most recent inspection in March, GoldStar faces $206,698 in proposed penalties and has been included in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
“GoldStar Excavation and Sewer’s indifference toward the safety and well-being of its employees cost a young man his life,” said Amanda Kupper, OSHA area director in Denver, in a statement. “With a teenager’s family and friends still grieving, the company again allowed its workers to enter an unprotected trench. GoldStar must comply with required federal safety standards designed to prevent another tragedy.”
According to OSHA, GoldStar is a family-owned and -operated business that provides water line repair, replacements, and installations, as well as sewer pipe lining services.
Source: OSHA
