The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Miami-based excavation contractor after a worker drowned while removing debris from an eight-foot canal.
OSHA on Monday announced it cited Downrite Engineering Corp. for 18 serious violations and proposed $258,935 in penalties following the January workplace fatality.
Inspectors determined the company failed to properly train dive teams on equipment use, techniques and emergency procedures when performing underwater tasks.
The company was also cited for failing to assess water conditions before sending in divers, failing to require an experienced diver to supervise dredging operations in a canal with limited visibility, and failing to brief workers on basic diving procedures and environmental conditions, among other failures.
OSHA said it previously cited the company for other safety violations, including failing to provide an injured worker with prompt medical care and not having readily available first aid equipment.
The company has 15 business days to contest the latest citations and fines.