A-1 Excavating Inc. landed in the headlines of business sections in broadsheets and newspapers. The reason: a list of noticeable violations of federal safety standards. What made the story more interesting was the company’s denial of the citations OSHA made against them, until it finally settled on September 30, 2009 – $474,000 from the original $861,000 in penalties for hazards cited in three inspections. The company is also subject to undertake significant steps to ensure that there will be no fatalities again in an A-1 excavating worksite. (Eugene Hakes Jr. was killed in a worksite in Richmond when he was struck by the chainsaw he was using).

Hakes’ death in April, in New Richmond is one of the many cases that OSHA inspected in the Bloomer firm. The other inspections were in September 2008 at a work site in Weston and in September 2009 at a Merrimac work site.

OSHA set conditions for worksite safety. These significant steps are included in the agreement settled last Wednesday: (1)hire a full-time safety director with the authority for safety and health at all projects; (2)provide additional safety and health training to all employees, including supervisors; (3)for the next three years tell OSHA where A-1 is working and allow OSHA access to those sites without having to get a warrant; (4)develop and put into place safety and health plans specific for all major projects, and make sure employees are briefed on or have access to those plans; (5)hire a third-party safety consultant for auditing trench and excavation work and to make unannounced inspections of work sites; (6)and cut the salaries of job superintendents and project managers who fail to comply with OSHA requirements.

All employees will attend a full-day course on excavation safety, and all union foremen will be trained in trench rescue. The company also reported it has already hired the new safety director. An OSHA representative, on the other hand, said he was happy with the agreement. “We are pleased that A-1 Excavating has agreed to take significant steps to ensure worker safety at their work sites,” said Mark Hysell, OSHA area director in Eau Claire. With this, there is a clear participation from both parties and the safety of A-1 Excavating Inc.’s workers is now ensured