OSHA cites Massachusetts contractor after fatal trench collapse in Hanson
BRAINTREE, Mass. (UI) — A federal workplace safety investigation has determined that the fatal injury of a worker in Hanson, Mass., in February 2024 could have been prevented.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that Aleckssandro Tomaz Pereira, the operator of three waterproofing contracting companies, failed to implement necessary safety measures in a trench where the incident occurred.
The worker was fatally injured when part of a foundation collapsed and fell into a 5-to-6-foot-deep trench beneath a Hanson residence. The companies involved in the project were Boston Concrete Corp LLC, VMT Contractor LLC, and Boston Concrete and Remodeling LLC, all operated by Pereira.
OSHA investigators revealed that the employer instructed the worker to enter the unprotected trench to prepare a foundation wall for waterproofing and dig out space to install concrete footings. The trench lacked proper safety protections against collapse, and other hazards such as water accumulation and improper exit routes were also present.
“Aleckssandro Tomaz Pereira should never have placed workers in this trench until the excavation and the building’s foundation were secured, workers were properly trained, water was removed from the trench, and an exit ladder was provided,” said OSHA Area Director James Mulligan. “This tragedy was entirely preventable.”
In addition to the lack of trench protection, OSHA found several other safety violations, including:
- Allowing employees to dig beneath unsupported foundation walls.
- Failing to train employees on recognizing cave-in and structural collapse hazards.
- Failing to provide training on the safe operation of an excavator.
- Not providing a safe exit from the trench.
- Allowing water to accumulate in the trench.
As a result, OSHA cited Pereira for two willful and six serious violations and proposed $283,115 in penalties.
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