Wagner Construction To Increase Education On Trench Hazards & Pay Fine of $380,000.00

Wagner Construction Employees to undergo trench hazards and safety training prior to starting work this 2021 Construction Season

BISMARCK, ND USA- The Minnesota based excavation firm, Wagner Construction, will be providing extensive safety training and awareness prior to this construction season start. The firm reached a settlement with U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration to pay $380,000.00 and provide immediate training on trenching and excavation hazards. The settlement stems from 3 separate incidents IN 2019 & 2020 when OSHA had completed on-site inspections and found Wagner in violation. The construction sites were all located within North Dakota and not the home state of Minnesota, Wagner Construction’s principal location.

Requirements known as part of the settlement are that Wagner pay $380,000.00 in fines, develop detailed site-specific safety plans, hire a full-time safety manager, hire a 3rd party safety consultant, provide training to all employees, form a safety committee with weekly meetings and purchase new safety equipment and lastly provide OSHA with ALL of its 2021 job sites for OSHA to inspect.

STATEMENT FROM OSHA:

“Excavation and trenching are some of the most hazardous operations in construction. OSHA worked with Wagner to address safety issues found on their North Dakota job sites,” said OSHA Area Director Scott Overson in Bismarck, North Dakota. “Preparing and executing job site safety plans that include sloping, shoring and shielding trenches can prevent cave-ins and worker injuries.”

OSHA is collaborating with the National Utility Contractors Association and the North American Excavation Shoring Association for the sixth annual Trench Safety Stand Down Week, June 14-18, 2021. The stand-down raises awareness of the dangers of trenching and excavation and promotes the use of protective systems, such as sloping, shoring and shielding, through webinars, presentations and individual company safety training.

OSHA’s trenching and excavation webpage provides additional information on trenching hazards and solutions. including a safety video.

Learn more about OSHA.