OSHA: Safety Violations in Mississippi Trench Collapse

A construction firm has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety violations related to a fatal trench collapse in Horn Lake, Mississippi

The OSHA investigation began after 46-year-old David Wayne Mooneyhan of Coldwater was killed by suffocation in the Oct. 28 collapse. Rescuers worked for hours before pulling 50-year-old Bertram Hill of Hernando to safety.

The two had been involved in placing a sewer line in a deep trench when one of the walls suddenly gave way.

The most serious finding by OSHA was that Phillips Construction of Hernando failed to provide cave-in protection for its employees. That violation carries a penalty of $49,000.

The company may contest the citations and proposed fines.
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Information from: The Commercial Appeal