OSHA Inspection: ALASKA DIRECTIONAL, LLC

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Oct 2, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,550 · Current $16,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.21(b)(2):  The employer did not instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe condition(s) and the regulation(s) applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazard(s) or other exposure to illness or injury:  a)  Big Susitna River (up-River coordinates (61.38362, -150.48368 ):  On March 6, 2025, and at times prior, the employees were not trained on the hazards of crossing a frozen river and the impact that temperature and tides can have on river ice crossings exposing them to drowning hazards.  b) Big Susitna Ice Bridge crossing (west bank 61.36487, -150.53909) and (East Bank 61.36156, -150.5342):  On or about March 20-25, 2025, the employees were not trained on the hazards of crossing the Big Susitna Ice Bridge and no ice hazard assessment was conducted or provided prior to demobilizing equipment,  exposing employees to drowning hazards.

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Aug 27, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,550 · Current $16,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.28(a):  Appropriate personal protective equipment was not worn by employee(s) in all operations where there was exposure to hazardous conditions:       (a) Big Susitna River:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior, employees driving and riding in a Polaris Ranger XP1000, which was equipped with seat belts, were not wearing the seat belts while riding over rough terrain, exposing the employees to struck by or against hazards.

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Oct 2, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,550 · Current $16,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.106(a):  Employee(s) working over or near water where the danger of drowning existed, were not provided with U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket(s) or buoyant work vest(s):        a) Little Susitna River:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior, employees crossing the frozen river were not provided life jackets nor vests exposing them to drowning hazards.        b) Big Susitna River:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior, employees crossing the frozen river were not provided life jackets nor vests exposing them to drowning hazards.

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Aug 27, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,550 · Current $16,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.106(c):  Ring buoys with at least 90 feet of line were not provided and readily available for emergency rescue operations:       a)  Little Susitna River Crossing:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior thereto,  employees did not have ring buoys available for emergency rescue operations exposing employees to drowning hazards.       b)  Big Susitna River Crossing:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior thereto,  employees did not have ring buoys available for emergency rescue operations exposing employees to drowning hazards.

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Sep 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,550 · Current $16,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.200(g)(1):  Construction areas were not posted with legible traffic signs and protected by traffic control devices at points of hazard:       a)  Little Susitna River crossing:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior thereto, the ice road/bridge crossing was not marked with traffic signs denoting the appropriate crossing location and safe speed, exposing employees to drowning hazards.       b)  Big Susitna River crossing:  On March 6, 2025 and at times prior thereto, the ice road/bridge crossing was not marked with traffic signs denoting the appropriate crossing location and safe speed, exposing employees to drowning hazards.

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Sep 19, 2025

Penalty

Initial $165,514 · Current $165,514

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.20(b)(2):  The employer did not initiate and maintain a safety program which provides for frequent and regular inspections of jobsites, materials, and equipment to be made by a competent person (i.e., a person who is capable of identifying existing hazards).       a)  Big Susitna River (up-river coordinates 61.38362, -150.48368):  On March 6, 2025, and at times prior to, ice road or ice route was not inspected by a competent person prior to traveling up the river which exposed employees to drowning hazards.       b)  Big Susitna Ice Bridge crossing (west bank 61.36487, -150.53909) and (East Bank 61.36156, -150.5342):  On or about March 20-25, 2025, ice measurements were not inspected frequently or regularly  by a competent person and no ice hazard assessments were completed prior to crossing over the ice bridge crossing. The second incident occurred during equipment demobilization, approximately two weeks after two employees drowned on March 6, 2025, when a John Deere broke through the ice and  sank while crossing the bridge, exposing employee to drowning hazards.

Issued

Aug 15, 2025

Abate by

Sep 11, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,364 · Current $2,364

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.7(a):  The employer did not record workplace injuries and illnesses that would be considered to meet the general recording criteria, and therefore to be recordable, if it results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness.  The employer must also consider a case to meet the general recording criteria if it involves a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional, even if it does not result in death, days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness.  a) On or about March 6, 2025, an employee's death was not recorded as a fatality on Alaska Directional, LLC OSHA 300 logs which materially affects the understandability of workplace working conditions of employees.