AUGUSTA, I – A federal workplace safety investigation has found that a Glenburn general contractor's decision to ignore a site expert's repeated warnings and the company's site-specific safety plan led to a fatal incident in June 2024. An employee suffered fatal crush injuries when an unstiffened retaining wall collapsed at a construction site in Brownville.
The US Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration definitely ttwo workers who are employed by Patriot Paving Group LLC We installed three to four foot diameter storm drain pipes–deep ditch. At the same time company Owner, Clifford Roadway, needed An excavator was near the base of the retaining wall, destabilizing it and causing a 40- to 60-foot section of the wall to topple over. One worker managed to escape, the other suffered fatal injuries.
OSHA investigators determined that Lane knew about this The wall next to the trench was unstable, but the necessary protective systems were not deployed and employees were not evacuated. The ongoing excavations presented clear and impending dangers.
Following its investigation, OSHA referred the company five willful violations and proposed penalties of $161,325 for the following conditions:
- The retaining wall must not be supported and employees must not be exposed to the hazards of being struck by or trapped between them.
- Failure to remove employees from the trench after it was determined to be dangerous.
- No training or instruction of three employees on the hazards associated with trenching.
“The warnings were clear, but Clifford Lane ignored them by putting progress over safety and putting employees directly at risk.” said OSHA Area Director Samuel Kondrup in Augusta, Maine. “There is no excuse for so recklessly endangering the lives of workers.”
OSHA is currently implementing a national trenching and excavation priority program Focusing through enforcement and education to identify and reduce hazards that could result in serious injury or death during these operations.
Patriot Paving Group LLC is a site preparation and general contractor specializing in residential and commercial paving, excavation and stormwater drainage work.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or appeal the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.