Region 4 News Release: 11-1310-ATL (433)
Sept. 13, 2011
Contact: Michael D'Aquino Michael Wald
Phone: 404-562-2076 404-562-2078
Email: d'aquino.michael@dol.gov wald.michael@dol.gov

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites 3 contractors at US Marine Corps
Logistic Base in Albany, Ga., for crane and trenching violations
Proposed fines total nearly $190,000 following electrical shock injury to worker

ALBANY, Ga. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Piedmont Mechanical Inc., Jim Boyd Construction Inc. and Chevron Energy Solutions Inc. for safety hazards after a worker received burns from an electrical shock during the installation of a new landfill gas processing and compression facility at the U.S. Marine Corps Logistic Base in Albany.

OSHA cited a total of three willful and eight serious safety violations with proposed penalties of $189,700 following an inspection begun in March after the incident, in which the boom tip of a crane contacted an overhead power line with a carrying capacity of more than 12,000 volts. Electricity traveled down the crane through a line that was connected to the load being moved by the crane and shocked the employee on the ground, who was holding the line.

Piedmont Mechanical was cited for one willful violation with a $56,000 penalty for failing to determine whether any part of the crane could get closer than 20 feet to the overhead energized power line, exposing workers to an electrical shock hazard. The company also was cited for two serious crane-related violations, one with a $3,500 penalty for positioning the crane on soil that was not sufficiently secure to support its weight and another with a $2,800 penalty for failing to inspect the crane before beginning the day's operations.

OSHA cited all three companies for safety violations involving trenching and excavation at the site. Piedmont Mechanical was cited for one willful violation with a $56,000 penalty, Jim Boyd Construction was cited for one willful violation with a $49,000 penalty and Chevron Energy Solutions was cited for one serious violation with a $6,300 penalty for exposing employees to a cave-in hazard by allowing them to work in a deep trench where the top of the trench shields were 2¿4 feet below the top of the trench. Chevron and Jim Boyd did not have any employees exposed to the hazardous conditions; however, Chevron, which was serving as the manager of the project, was cited as the controlling employer, and Jim Boyd, which excavated the trench and supplied and installed the protective trench shields, was cited as the creating and correcting employer.

Additionally, Jim Boyd and Piedmont were cited for one serious violation each with a $3,500 proposed penalty for allowing workers inside a trench where several sections of the trench shields were not connected with spreader bars. Each also was cited for one serious violation carrying another $3,500 proposed penalty for allowing workers in a trench where several sections of the trench shields were not flush against the walls of the trench, exposing workers to "crushed-by" and "struck-by" hazards. Finally, Jim Boyd was cited for a serious violation with a $2,100 penalty for allowing workers in a trench where one section of the trench shield system was damaged.

"When there are multiple companies operating together at the same site, which is often the case in construction projects, it is important that all the employers take a serious interest in the safety and health of the workers, and actively seek to prevent hazards like the ones we found here," said Robert Vazzi, director of OSHA's Savannah Area Office.

Proposed penalties total $125,300 for Piedmont Mechanical, $58,100 for Jim Boyd Construction and $6,300 for Chevron Energy Solutions. Chevron Energy Solutions is based in San Francisco, Calif., and is a division of Chevron Corp. Piedmont Mechanical is based in Spartanburg, S.C., and Jim Boyd Construction is based in Albany, Ga.

Citations are available at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/chevron_energy.pdf*;
http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/chevron_energy_solutions_inc.pdf*;
http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/jim_boyd.pdf*;
http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/jim_boyd_construction_inc.pdf*; and
http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/piedmont_mechanical_inc.pdf*.

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by staff from OSHA's Savannah office, which is located at 450 Mall Blvd., Suite J, Savannah, Ga. 31406; telephone 912-652-4393. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille, audio tape or disc from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.

* Accessibility Assistance: Contact OSHA's Office of Communications at 202-693-1999 for assistance accessing PDF materials.