OSHA Inspection: PTS CONTRACTORS, INC.

Issued

2025-09-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-10-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13902.00 · Current $6951.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.651(k)(1):  Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems shall be made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could result in possible cave-ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions. An inspection shall be conducted by the competent person prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the shift. Inspections shall also be made after every rainstorm or other hazard increasing occurrence. These inspections are only required when employee exposure can be reasonably anticipated.  On or about July 21, 2025, at a worksite located at 450 S Wall Street in Denmark, Wisconsin, the employer did not ensure that a competent person was  performing the required inspections of the trench excavation.  The foreman onsite failed to perform both visual and manual soil analyses for determining the required slope to protect against engulfment hazards, identify a safe means of egress free from cave in hazards, and identify PPE usage hazards associated with an employee working from inside a 7 feet deep trench of Type B soil with vertical side walls.

Issued

2025-09-18 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $69510.00 · Current $34755.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.652(a)(1):  Each employee in an excavation shall be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section except when excavations are made entirely in stable rock; or excavations are less than 5 feet (1.52m) in depth and examination of the ground by a competent person provides no indication of a potential cave-in.  On or about July 21, 2025, at a worksite located at 450 S Wall Street in Denmark, Wisconsin, the employer did not ensure that an employee connecting pipe in a 7 feet deep trench of Type B Soil was protected against potential engulfment hazards when the trench was not provided with cave-in protection for the vertical side walls.  The PTS Contractors Inc was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1926.652(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1796119, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on February 5, 2025, with respect to a workplace located at 4333 W Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton, WI  54913.  The PTS Contractors Inc was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1926.652(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1682834, citation number 2, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on September 29, 2023, with respect to a workplace located at the corner of Manitowoc Road and Oneida Street, Menasha, WI  54952.  The PTS Contractors Inc was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1926.652(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1554888, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on December 14, 2021, with respect to a workplace located at the end of Steffens Court in Green Bay, WI 54311.