Texas Contractor Ignored Federal Safety Measures Leading to Teen’s Death in Trench Collapse Accident

A Houston, Texas contractor is under hot water as investigators with the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reached the end of their investigation into the death of a teen worker who died in September, 2023. According to the U.S. Department of Labor newsroom, the 18-year-old teenage worker was killed near Fulshear, Texas when a trench that he was working in collapsed in at the walls, and he was trapped and killed. According to reports, the teen’s death was horrific in nature, as he was pinned under tons of dirt from the trench against a concrete box.

OSHA investigators looking into the tragic and avoidable accident ultimately determined that the contractor, Hurtado Construction, willfully disregarded federal safety regulations in allowing the teen worker to work in the trench without proper protection in place to prevent the collapse of the trench walls. The OSHA citations that were doled out to Hurtado Construction for the teen workers’ death include the contractor’s failure to have adequate first aid assistance in place at the scene of the accident and failure to provide a ladder to trench workers to use in case of a trench collapse, along with making its employees work in an excavation site that was saturated with water and unsafe, and improperly using the concrete box as protection, in violation of safety regulations.

Recent Citations Not Contractor’s First Rodeo with Safety Violations

In addition to the recent tragic death of the teen worker, Hurtado construction has been under fire before due to disregard of federal safety rules and regulations. In fact, in 2021, the company received citations from OSHA for failing to use an adequate protective system at a worksite in Katy, Texas, where a trench also collapsed. OSHA Area Director Larissa Ipsen said of the company’s disregard for adequate safety measures at their worksites, “Hurtado Construction has routinely ignored its legal responsibility to protect employee’s safety and health…The company’s callous disregard has cost a young man his life and left his family, friends, and co-workers to grieve a terrible tragedy under circumstances that were completely preventable.” Hurtado Construction faces $257,811 in proposed fines from OSHA in connection with the safety violations.

Justice for Workers Injured on the Job in Decatur, Georgia

In Decatur, most workers who are injured on the job and who are unable to work are entitled to important money benefits called workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits under Georgia workers’ compensation laws in Decatur include compensation such as compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and more. If you were injured on the job and you are interested in obtaining workers’ compensation benefits in Decatur, it is best to speak with an experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options.

The experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help you get workers’ compensation benefits due in Decatur. Contact the O’Connell Law Firm today and speak to an experienced lawyer about your case for free.

Source:

dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20240318-0