OSHA Fines Central Illinois Firm in Worker’s Death

Federal job-safety regulators say a central Illinois construction company should pay $28,000 in fines for the death in December of a worker on the Illinois State University campus.

Stephen White was working for Stark Excavating of Bloomington when a piece of a 43-year-old sandstone column fell on the excavator he was operating. The 57-year-old Bloomington man died from his injuries.

The Occupational Safety And Health Administration now says Stark should pay the fines for several safety violations.

OSHA says the company failed to do an engineering study to make sure the work was safe. The agency says the company also used straps to support pieces of stone that were heavier than the straps could support.

Stark can appeal OSHA’s decision.