A Breese contractor cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration earlier this month for trench cave-in violations at the Silvercreek Crossing housing development in Waterloo has agreed to a settlement in the matter. 

U.S. Department of Labor Regional Director for Public Affairs Scott Allen said OSHA maintained all of the violations and classifications against Groundworks Contracting but reduced the penalty amount to $41,185 and put the company on a payment plan. 

Proposed penalties had totaled $77,147.

“They also extended their abatement dates as the company is working with Southern Illinois Builders Association to establish a comprehensive safety and health program, trenching safety program and conduct extensive employee and management training,” Allen said.

Acting on a City of Waterloo referral, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found five employees of Groundworks Contracting Inc. in trenches as deep as 18 feet on five occasions during its investigation from Nov. 30, 2022 to Jan. 20, 2023 at Silvercreek Crossing.

Inspectors determined the employer put workers at risk by failing to provide required cave-in protection and head protection and by not training employees to recognize cave-in hazards, an OSHA news release stated.

In addition, OSHA found Groundworks had no competent person on site to inspect trenches before workers entered and, on one occasion, failed to protect a laborer as they were hoisted in an excavator’s bucket to work over a 15-foot-deep trench.