OSHA Inspection: ELITE ROOTER DENVER INC.

Issued

Apr 8, 2024

Abate by

May 9, 2024

Penalty

Initial $7,098 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(c)(2): A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress was not located in trench excavations that were 4 feet or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet of lateral travel for employees:   (a) Elite Rooter Denver Inc., 2220 Vassar Ave, Ft. Collins, CO 80525: On or before December 04, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure a means of egress was provided so that employees could safely access and egress a trench. Employees were repairing sewer lines in an approximately 8-foot-deep trench and had to travel greater than 25 feet of lateral travel to access the ladder. This exposed employees to cave in and struck by hazards due to unsafe egress from the trench.

Issued

Apr 8, 2024

Abate by

May 9, 2024

Penalty

Initial $7,098 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2): Protection was not provided by placing and keeping excavated or other materials or equipment at least 2 feet from the edge of excavations, or by the use of retaining devices that were sufficient to prevent materials or equipment from falling or rolling into excavations, or by a combination of both if necessary:  (a) Elite Rooter Denver Inc., 2220 Vassar Ave, Ft. Collins, CO 80525: On or before December 04, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that protection was provided to protect employees working in trenches from being struck by rocks, clods and accumulations of excess soil placed directly on the edge of the trench. Spoils piles were placed directly on the edge of the trench. This exposed employees to struck by and caught in hazards.

Issued

Apr 8, 2024

Abate by

May 9, 2024

Penalty

Initial $7,098 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1): Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems were not made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in possible cave-ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions:  (a) Elite Rooter Denver Inc., 2220 Vassar Ave, Ft. Collins, CO 80525: On or before December 04, 2023, and at times prior, the employer failed to ensure that daily inspections were conducted by the competent person as required. This condition exposed employees to hazardous conditions such as, but not limited to unintentional contact with utilities, the inability to self-rescue without a safe means of egress from the trench, and to the hazards of being struck by falling materials.

Issued

Apr 8, 2024

Abate by

May 9, 2024

Penalty

Initial $7,098 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1): Each employee in an excavation was not protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section:  (a) Elite Rooter Denver Inc., 2220 Vassar Ave, Ft. Collins, CO 80525: On or before December 04, 2023, and times prior, the employer failed to ensure employees were protected to cave in hazards while repairing sewer lines in the unprotected trench that was approximately two feet wide and eight 8 feet deep in type B soil. This condition exposed employees to exposes employees to cave-in hazards.