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Construction firm fined for trenching, excavation violations

Posted On: Oct. 3, 2018 10:13 AM CST

Construction firm fined for trenching, excavation violations

Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries has fined a Vancouver construction company that specializes in excavation and trenching $126,400 for multiple safety violations, the department announced on Tuesday.

Colf Construction was a subcontractor on the 10th Street Bridge project in Ridgefield, Washington, on March 20, 2018, when the Division of Occupational Safety and Health opened the inspection, which resulted in eight site visits over five months, finding trenching violations. The inspections resulted in six willful and serious violations, according to a statement.

The violations included not ensuring workers were protected from cave-ins, not performing daily excavation inspections, not removing workers from hazardous areas, employees working under suspended load, no safe access or exit available from excavations, and lack of fall protection, according to the statement.

Colf Construction, which has 15 business days to appeal the citations, could not be reached immediately for comment.