{"id":6449,"date":"2016-09-07T14:13:03","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T14:13:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minutes.machine.market\/?p=6449"},"modified":"2016-09-07T14:13:03","modified_gmt":"2016-09-07T14:13:03","slug":"austin-tx-construction-company-faces-121k-in-fines-for-serious-violations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/machine.market\/blog\/austin-tx-construction-company-faces-121k-in-fines-for-serious-violations\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin, TX construction company faces $121K in fines for serious violations"},"content":{"rendered":"

AUSTIN (KXAN<\/a>) \u2014 An Austin construction company has been cited for serious violations and could now face fines of more than $121,000.<\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Department of Labor\u2019s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Austin Constructors LLC<\/a> exposed workers to trenching hazards at the worksite on Colorado Street. One of the violations was for failing to have a protective system in the trenches to protect employees.<\/p>\n

Some of the serious violations include\u00a0not covering utility lines and not protecting workers from falling rocks or loose soil. The company also failed to add safety guardrails on walkways over the trenches.<\/p>\n

The worksite is run by the Muniz Concrete and Contracting Inc.; the most serious violation was for the risk of the trench caving-in. The penalties would be divided to ask for $113,486 from Austin Constructors LLC and $7,857 from Muniz Concrete and Contracting Inc.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are roughly 54 fatalities associated with excavations each year, such as the one that happened in Lockhart this past week<\/a>, because employers failed to take the necessary measures to keep them safe,\u201d said Casey R. Perkins, OSHA\u2019s area director in Austin. \u201cThese employers knew better, and they are fortunate we inspected them before any of their employees were seriously injured or killed.\u201d<\/p>\n