ConDig (15-Dec-25) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Connecticut concrete and earthwork contractor for repeated and willful violations of federal trenching and excavation safety standards, proposing more than $1.2 million in penalties following a follow-up inspection.
The agency said Sound Construction Inc., based in Easton, willfully exposed workers to cave-in and excavation hazards at a Stamford project inspected on June 12, 2025. The agency issued seven willful and four serious violations related to unsafe excavation practices.
The latest enforcement action follows a December 2023 workplace fatality at a Sound Construction site in New Canaan, where a worker was killed. That investigation resulted in two willful and five serious citations. OSHA also entered into a settlement agreement with the company requiring it to submit monthly lists of active worksites and allow random inspections to verify compliance with trenching and excavation safety standards.
During the June 2025 inspection, OSHA inspectors found that the contractor failed to train workers on excavation hazards, did not provide adequate protection against cave-ins, neglected to conduct daily excavation inspections, failed to follow trench shield installation requirements, and did not properly backfill shields to prevent dangerous movement.
OSHA proposed $1,224,798 in penalties for the violations identified during the follow-up inspection.
Sound Construction has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. OSHA noted that citations and penalties may be modified as the case proceeds.
The agency continues to emphasize trenching and excavation as among the most hazardous construction activities and urges employers to follow federal safety standards, including proper training, protective systems, and daily inspections. OSHA provides compliance assistance resources and free guidance to help contractors meet safety requirements.