Guam Contractor Faces More Than $1 Million in OSHA Penalties
Giant Construction Corp. exposed workers to trench-based safety hazards.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Apr 30, 2024
Tamuning, Guam-based contractor Giant Construction Corp. faces more than $1 million in penalties after OSHA discovered employees exposed to deadly trench hazards.
According to a recent release, OSHA inspectors found Giant Construction employees working in trenches deeper than 5 feet without proper safety measures. The team was busy installing sewer lines in multiple trenches at a worksite in the Palisades Subdivision Project in Tiyan, Guam at the time of the investigation.
“Giant Construction Corp. has shown a flagrant disregard for the safety of its employees and put workers at risk of serious and potentially fatal injuries,” OSHA Area Office Director Roger Forstner in Honolulu said in a statement. “The company’s owner admits they understand the dangers but still chooses to put profit before people. The significant penalties assessed after this inspection send a clear signal to Giant Construction Corp. and other employers that OSHA will not tolerate such callous attitudes when employees are endangered.”
OSHA found the company for nine willful violations for its repeated failures to protect employees in trenches and two serious violations for inadequate means of trench exit.
Giant Construction has a history of OSHA violations dating back to 2014, including previous citations for trench safety lapses.
Giant Construction Corp. now has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference or contest the agency’s findings before an independent commission.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.