OSHA issues trench violation citations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a company involved in a February 2021 double fatality for new trench violations at a separate worksite.

Laurence Moloney, doing business as Atlantic Coast Utilities LLC/Advanced Utilities Inc.; Nuala Nichoncubhair, doing business as Sterling Excavation LLC; and their successors were cited for four willful and three serious violations and one other than serious violation for exposing employees to excavation hazards at a construction site in East Boston. They face a combined $624,777 in penalties.

In August 2021, OSHA cited Mr. Moloney and his companies with 28 violations and proposed $1,350,884 in fines following the deaths of two workers in a trench in downtown Boston.

Under various names, Mr. Moloney and his companies have been cited for trenching and excavation violations at various times in the last 20 years. Six previous inspections of his companies resulted in the issuance of 14 willful repeat and serious violations, with $81,242 in penalties, $73,542 of which are unpaid and have been referred to debt collection, according to OSHA.