Illinois-based Di Paolo Co. Fined $113K for Safety Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Di Paolo Co. in Glenview, Ill., with one willful and nine serious safety violations for allowing workers in Elgin to perform trenching and excavation work at depths of up to 12.5 feet without cave-in protection. The citations carry total penalties of $113,000.

Di Paolo Co. specializes in installation of underground water and sewer pipes. OSHA’s inspection, initiated in June, cited the company with one willful violation for failing to provide cave-in protection for these workers. Cave-in protection is required when employees are working in an excavation at a depth greater than 5 feet. The violation has a proposed fine of $70,000.

Additionally, the company was issued nine serious violations with proposed penalties of $43,000 for failing to provide fall protection for shoring systems and walkways, failing to properly train flaggers, and having spliced flexible extension cords and unapproved repairs to electrical cords.

Prior to this inspection, Di Paolo had been inspected by OSHA 20 times since 1982 and received 33 citations, many for trenching violations. In 1993, the company received four citations when a worker was fatality injured on a jobsite.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its latest citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA