Feds Propose $328,500 in Fines for Alabama Contractor

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $328,500 in fines for Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based Gilco Contracting Inc.

The company allegedly exposed workers to serious and repeated safety hazards at two job sites in Lakeview and another in Northport, federal labor officials said last week.

“Finding repeat violations at three different job locations demonstrates to us that Gilco Contracting is indifferent to its employees’ safety,” said Roberto Sanchez, the Birmingham-area director for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The company, which had no comment when contacted on Feb. 15, has 15 days to contest the citations.

Inspectors visited the job sites in August 2007 and November 2007.

Gilco Contracting was cited for seven repeat citations totaling $315,000 for not following OSHA’s rules regarding protection of employees in trenching and excavating operations. The Tuscaloosa contractor had received citations for similar violations after inspections in May 2005 and October 2006. The company also received three serious violations with a fine of $10,800 for not keeping conveyor belt work areas free from fall hazards and other unsafe conditions.

OSHA issued three other citations with a fine of $2,700 for record-keeping violations.