Sound Construction Inc. Faces $394,083 in Fine for Fatal Trench Collapse

Sound Construction Inc. Faces $394,083 in Fines for Fatal Trench Collapse

OSHA cited the Easton, Connecticut-based company with similar violations in 2016.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Jul 15, 2024

Easton, Connecticut-based Sound Construction Inc. faces significant OSHA penalties following a fatal trench collapse in New Canaan, Connecticut, which occurred in December 2023.

According to a recent release, the incident—which resulted in the death of an employee repairing an underground water line, could have been avoided if federal safety standards for excavations had been followed. As it stands, OSHA cited Sound Construction for two willful and five serious violations, in addition to levying $394,083 in penalties against the company.

OSHA's investigation revealed that Sound Construction Inc. exposed five employees to severe risks, including cave-in, engulfment and struck-by hazards. The company failed to implement safety measures, such as providing cave-in protection for the 12-foot-deep trench, training employees on recognizing trenching hazards, maintaining a safe distance between excavators and the trench edge, and verifying the location of underground utilities before excavation.

“Despite prior warnings, Sound Construction ignored trench safety protections and that decision cost an employee their life,” OSHA Area Director Catherine Brescia in Bridgeport, Connecticut, said in a statement. “All employers should make workplace safety a priority or risk being responsible for leaving the family, friends and co-workers of one or more of their employees to grieve this kind of preventable death.”

In 2016, Sound Construction Inc. faced similar citations, including three serious violations related to trench safety at a worksite in Trumbull, Connecticut. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before an independent commission.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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