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				<p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">United States of America</span></p>
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				<p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION<span>
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							<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">SECRETARY OF LABOR</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
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								</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainan</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">t,</span></p>
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							<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> v. </span></p>
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							<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">FINLEY, LLC, and its successors,</span></p>
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								</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent.</span></p>
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				<p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">OSHRC Docket No</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">20-1217</span></p>
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				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span> </p>
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				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Appearances:</span></p>
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				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Greg</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ory W. Tronson</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, Esq., Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Denver, Colorado</span></p>
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				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">For Complainant</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-left:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Jason Finley</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Owner, Finley, LLC, Bailey, CO</span></p>
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				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">F</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">or Respondent</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span></p>
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				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Be</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">fore: </span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Judge<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Peggy S. Ball</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>– U. S. Administrative Law Judge</span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;">DECISION AND ORDER</span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In response to an anonymous complaint about the trenches<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">located at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1570</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Grove Street, Complainant sent Compliance Safety and Health Officer<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Kirk Lake</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to perform an inspection of the worksite.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">During his inspection, CSHO<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Lake</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">saw<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">five</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>workers exiting a trench that had water along 90 percent of its length.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Upon closer observation,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the CSHO determined<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">sections of the trench were<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">benched or improperly sloped<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">for trenches that are<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“submerged”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">according to Appendix A of Subpart<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">P</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926 Subpart P, Appx. A</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The parties do not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">dispute<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">many of the salient facts<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">required to establish a violation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, including<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">those related to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the applicability of the standard, employees’ exposure to the condition</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and Respondent’s knowledge<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of the condition.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Instead, the parties<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">dispute the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">source</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the water and the extent of the hazard, if any, imposed by it</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; thus, calling into question<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">whether the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>terms of the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>standard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>w</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ere</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>violated.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Based on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">its</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>review of the record evidence</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and the parties’ respective arguments, the Court finds<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">failed to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">respond to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the water in the trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.651(h)(1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">) but also finds Complainant failed to prove<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent was required to automatically slope the trench to Type C soil specifications</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Section 1926.651(h)(1) is a performance standard,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at least in part, which means Complainant cannot specify<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">how Respondent should abate the hazard by citing him according to a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">n additional</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">section of the Act</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>requiring specific performance</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See, e.g., American Phoenix, Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">24 BNA OSHC 2228, 2014 WL 2058099 at *6 (No.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">11-2969, 2014) (ALJ Augustine) (discussing performance standards)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Doing so, as Complainant has done here,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is akin to citing Respondent twice for failing to do the same thing</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which the Commission characterizes as duplicative.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">North</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Eastern Precast LLC</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 26 BNA OSHC 2275, 2018 WL 1309480 at *5 (No. 13-1169<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">et. al.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 2018)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As for the other<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">trench</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>citation item</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, the Court finds Respondent failed to perform adequate inspections of the trench, as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">evidence</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">d</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>by his co</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">nversations with CSHO<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Lake</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>during the inspection</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. However, the Court also finds Complainant failed to provide sufficient evidence of exposure<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as to the chemicals identified in Citation 1, Item</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>3</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a & 3b</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and failed to show the purported PPE violation in Citation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2, Item 1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>was anything more than a misunderstanding.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">f</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">indings of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">f</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">act and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">c</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">onclusions of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">l</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">aw</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in support of those conclusions are found below.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; line-height:2; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">I.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">P</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ROCEDURAL HISTORY</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In late</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>March 20</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">20</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Complainant received an anonymous complaint<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that employees were working in unsafe trenches at the worksite located at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1570 Grove Street</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">20-21; Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In response, Complainant sent CSHO Lake to conduct an inspection. At the conclusion of his<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">inspection, CSHO Lake recommended, and Complainant issued, a Citation and Notification of Penalty alleging five serious and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">one</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>other-than-serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Complainant has proposed a total penalty of $7,519.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Respondent timely filed a Notice of Contest.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>The Chief Judge designated this matter for Simplified Proceedings on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">September 28, 2020</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Accordingly, th</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>matter<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">i</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s governed by Subpart M of the Commission Rules of Procedure. Trial in this matter was held over Zoom Video Conferencing on May 18-19, 2021. Only two witnesses testified: CSHO Kirk Allen Lake and Jason Finley, owner of Respondent.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">A transcript from the deposition of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">John Severance</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, who is employed by Res</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">pondent as a Supervisor,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>was admitted as Exhibit<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-4.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Both parties submitted post-trial briefs for the Court’s consideration. Based on the evidence presented at trial and the briefs submitted in support, the Court issues the following Decision and Order.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">II.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">JURISDICTION</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he Court finds the Commission has jurisdiction over this matter under section 10(c) of the Act</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 U.S.C. § 659(c)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. According to section 10(c), the Commission obtained jurisdiction</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>upon Respondent’s timely filing of a notice of contest.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court also finds Respondent was an employer engaged in a business and industry affecting interstate commerce within the meaning of sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Act</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>29 U.S.C. §§ 652(3), (5)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also Clarence M. Jones d/b/a C. Jones Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 11 BNA OSHC 1529 (No. 77-3676, 1983) (finding statutory jurisdiction exists “</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">so long as the business is in a class of activity that as a whole affects commerce</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">quoting</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Usery v. Franklin R. Lacy</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 628 F.2d 1226 (9th Cir. 1980)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">))</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent, like the employer in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Clarence M. Jones</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, is construction contractor whose activities have an impact on interstate commerce when viewed in the aggregate with similarly situated employers</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent does not dispute any of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">facts supporting these conclusions.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Thus, the Court finds Respondent is subject to the jurisdiction of the Act.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">III.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">FACT</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">UAL BACKGROUND</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">A.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Respondent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">’s Business</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent is an earthmoving and excavating contractor based in Bailey, Colorado. It is a small outfit, with roughly 5 full-time employees, including Mr. Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">John Severance, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">some laborers</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-4 at 13)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Both Mr. Finley and Mr. Severance have worked in earthmoving, excavations, and heavy equipment operating for a combined total of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">50</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>years. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">230; Ex. C-4 at 10-12</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). Respondent was hired by Katerra Construction, the general cont</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">r</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">actor</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for the construction of an apartment complex located</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 1570 Grove Street in Denver, Colorado</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(“worksite”). At the time of the inspection, Respondent had been at the worksite for approximately<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">nine</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>weeks. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">157-58</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">B.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Grove Street Worksite</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
					</span>Inspection</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Severance</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Respondent had dug multiple trenches at the worksite<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in performance of its<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">time</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">materials</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>contract with Katerra.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Ex. C-4</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, R-28</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). The trench at issue in this case was referred to as the plumbing excavation because it was going to be used to house the lines that supply plumbing to the apartment building. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">32</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). John Severance testified at his deposition that he dug the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">plumbing excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>during the two days before CSHO Lake’s inspection on March 25, 2020. (Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-4</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">When CSHO Lake arrived on March 25, 2020, he observed five employees working in the trench, including Mr. Finley. (Tr. 34</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex C-1 at 38</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). At CSHO Lake’s request, Mr. Finley and three of his employees exited the trench and approached CSHO Lake, while one employee (later discovered to be employed by Katerra), exited at the opposite end and left the area. (Tr. 34-36).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake asked<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the group that came out of the end of the trench closest to him whether there was a manager or foreman present. (Tr. 35). Mr. Finley, who had not yet identified himself, told CSHO Lake there were no managers or foremen present and directed him to Katerra’s trailer. (Tr. 36).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">After meeting with Katerra’s superintendent, McClaine Whalen, and discussing his concerns about the trench, CSHO Lake was introduced to Mr. Finley as the owner/manager for Respondent, as well as the competent person for the plumbing excavation. (Tr. 36).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">During his conversation with Mr. Finley, CSHO Lake became convinced Mr. Finley did not possess the requisite knowledge to be a competent person. (Tr. 39). Specifically, CSHO Lake asked questions about how Finley performed inspections of the soil and how he had characterized the soil type. CSHO Lake testified Finley did not appear to know how to perform a manual (as opposed to a visual) test of the soil to determine its type, nor did it appear he had performed any testing other than looking at the excavation. (Tr. 38-39).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Though Finley testified he had received<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a little</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>formal training in excavation safety, much of his training and knowledge came from<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">20-plus</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>years of on-the-job experience. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">230</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">At<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">rial, conversely</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to CSHO Lake’s testimony, Mr. Finley testified he knew quite well what the soil types were and how to perform a manual test of the soil. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">251-53</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">H</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e claims at the time of the inspection he simply misunderstood what CSHO Lake was asking when he inquired about the “manual” test and soil typing and that, upon further<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">clarification from Lake</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, he explained he had been performing the tests described. (Tr. 251).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Although</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at the time of trial, Mr. Finley appeared to have a firm grasp on the terminology and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">methodology of the excavation standard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, th</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e foregoing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is one of many instances where it appears Mr. Finley<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">relies on a purported misunderstanding</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>about something he, as a self-professed</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>long-tenured member of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">profession and competent person, should be intimately familiar with.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>nature and number of these<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">purported “misunderstandings”,</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref2" href="#ftn2">1</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">many of which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">are<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">conveniently targeted<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at key elements of Complainant’s case,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">c</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">all into question the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">consistency and credibility of Mr. Finley’s testimony when compared to CSHO Lake’s, which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">wa</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s consistent with his contemporaneously taken notes</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>held up</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in response to cross-examination. A</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ccordingly</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in this</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>instance (and many others), the Court credits CSHO Lake’s testimony over Mr. Finley’s.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">C.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Trench Dimensions and Measurements</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to CSHO Lake, the trench was</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">approximately</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>160 feet long, 18 feet across, and ranged in depth from<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a little over six feet to roughly ten feet.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">84-88</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake observed water in the bottom of the trench that extended across 90% of its length</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, starting on the south end and extending north</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Tr. 34, 76, 86).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In the southern end of the trench, where he observed Mr. Finley and his employees working,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the walls</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>were set in a bench configuration on the east and west sides. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">86</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-1 at 38</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">While many portions of the wall were sloped at a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">33- to 34</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">-degree angle</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, at least one portion on the northern end of the trench was sloped at a 45-degree angle. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">79-80, 90-91</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-2</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Subsequent testing revealed the soil CSHO Lake retrieved from the spoil pile was Type B, which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was consistent with the geotechnical report generated prior to work beginning at the worksite and with</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Respondent’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">visual assessment</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">115, 252</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-3 at 40</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">D.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Source of the Water</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The principal disagreement between the parties revolves around the source of the water CSHO Lake observed in the trench when he arrived to conduct the inspection.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake interviewed Mr. Severance</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Mr. Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a couple of Respondent’s employees;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Phil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Pollock,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a Katerra Superintendent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Andrew</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mesches</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Katerra</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>superintendent; McClain Whalen, a Katerra superintendent; Rob Turner, Katerra’s project manager; and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Steve Silvestre, Katerra’s safety and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">health manager</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">48-53,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">111</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to CSHO Lake, as well as his contemporaneously recorded notes, Respondent’s employees, Severance, Pollock, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mesches</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>all told<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">water was coming from the trench itself, including seepage from the walls of the excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref3" href="#ftn3">2</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">108, 111-112</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Pollock specifically told him<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">roughly 80% of the excavations at the site had groundwater issues, which was consistent with the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">geotechnical report indicating the possibility of fluctuating groundwater levels. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">172</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-3 at 40</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake testified<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Severance told<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">him</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he encounter</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ed</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>water almost immediately and that it seemed to increase as he moved south along the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">plumbing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavation. (T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">r</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. 108).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Supporting this conclusion is CSHO Lake’s observation that the water level did not change during the entirety of his inspection. (Tr. 81).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, on the other hand, testified the water came from<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a pipe, which he had<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">cut open</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>right before CSHO Lake arrived at the worksite.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">255</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to Finley, t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he water had not dissipated because it was resting on top of squeegee</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>aggregate</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">similar to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>pea gravel</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>used to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">level the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">236</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley also testified his version of what happened was supported by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the deposition testimony of Severance, as well as the interview statements given by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Whalen, Turner, and Silvestre</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">All of them stated the source of the water was the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which Respondent had cut to remove and replace.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Tr. 306).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">re are a couple of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>problem</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>with Finley’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">explanation of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the source of the water. First, the statements<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>relies on are, at times, inconsistent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or are otherwise dependent on knowledge he provided. In the case of Mr. Severance, CSHO<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Lake testified and documented<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mr. Severance stating the water had come from the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavation, which he was responsible for digging during the two days prior to the inspection. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">125</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mr. Severance later testified at deposition the water came from the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>pipe after the plumbers cut it</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Ex. C-4 at 44).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mr. Finley, on the other hand,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">testified he had cut the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>after Severance<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">told him the plumbers<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">installed<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">it</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>incorrectly</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Finley argues this</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is when<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the water<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">released from the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, though<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>could not say where it had come from in the plumbing system. (Tr. 238).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Second, according to CSHO Lake’s discussions with Pollock</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>it was impossible for water to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">have been released<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">from<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a p</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ipe hooked to a sand and water interceptor<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as alleged by Finley<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">because<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Pollock was the only person onsite who knew how to hook<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the pipe<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to a source of water</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>through the sand and water interceptor, which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was located in</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the trench under discussion. (Ex. C-</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1 at 0018).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is consistent with both CSHO Lake’s narrative of the events</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, as well as Finley’s discussion of what was occurring at the point in time that he cut the pipe.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley proclaimed he is not a plumber</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and thus could not opine on the source of the water, but he did testify the pipe had recently been set by Katerra Plumbing employees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>specu</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">lated</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>they could have been testing the seal</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>by filling it with water. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">238</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Even though the pipe had been set<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">recently</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, n</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">o one testified seeing the pipe being filled with water.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In response to some of the foregoing inconsistencies,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent argues it does not matter<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">if</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Severance incorrectly identified<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">who cut the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; rather, it only matters<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">whether</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>he agrees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the pipe was the source of the water.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court disagrees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">S</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">everance’s deposition testimony is inconsistent with his statement to CSHO Lake.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Compare<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">125</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ex. C-4</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to Finley, Severance’s deposition testimony</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>regarding the source of the water</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>should be credite</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">d</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>over his statement to CSHO Lake because it was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">given under<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">oath</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. But, he argues,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Severance’s deposition</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>should not be credited over Finley’s testimony as to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">who was responsible for cutting the pipe, even though<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">both</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>were physically present</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for the act itself.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>explanation, like<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">others discussed throughout this opinion</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">relies on inconsistent versions of the same event</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>attempt<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>weave a consistent narrative.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>however,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>recounted statements both favorable and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">unfavorable to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the government’s case</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>was nonetheless capable of showing why Respondent’s version of events was unlikely</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>given what he had learned from the general contractor during his inspection of the entire worksite</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">subsequent review of relevant documents, including the geotechnical report</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court understands it is crediting</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, in part,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the hearsay</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>statements of Pollock,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mesches</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and Respondent’s employees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">over<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the trial testimony</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of Mr. Finle</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">y.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he Court’s decision to do so</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is premised on a couple of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">grounds</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref4" href="#ftn4">3</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">First</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Simplified Proceedings are not governed by the rules of evidence as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">standard cases before the Commission</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">—the amount of discovery is limited,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and the breadth of permissible evidence is expanded.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 2200.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">200<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">et seq</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Second</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, none of the statements attributable to the out-of-court declarants</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, other than Mr. Severance, were re</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">futed</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; indeed,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">most of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Mr. Finley’s statements to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake were consistent with those he gave at trial.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Third</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of the statements submitted in support of Mr. Finley’s version of the events,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>which were recorded by CSHO Lake himself,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">three of them were<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">premised on Finley’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">own<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">first-hand account</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Fourth,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the remaining statement supporting Mr. Finley’s explanation of the water</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’s source</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mr. Severance’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">sworn testimony</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, was inconsistent with the statement Severance gave CSHO Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">during the inspection</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and inconsistent with Mr. Finley’s as to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the person</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>responsible for cutting the pipe.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finally,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the testimony of CSHO Lake, which recounted statements from Respondent’s employees and members of Katerra’s management team, squared with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the facts surrounding the specific excavation at issue in this case,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">including the work<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">being performed by Katerra’s plumbers prior to the pipe being cut</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the geotechnical report indicating groundwater<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">potential at the worksite.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">While the Court ultimately credits Complainant’s version of the events surrounding the source of the water</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, subsequent analysis show</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>it does not always matter where the water came from so much as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">what type of hazard it presents and whether an employer appropriately responds.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">E.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Respondent’s Safety and Health Programs<span>
					</span></span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">During</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>CSHO Lake’s inspection, he requested various documents from Respondent, including<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent’s safety and health programs related to trenching and excavations, hazard communications,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">soil testing records,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">training and certifications, safety audits, and records of discipline. (Tr. 59</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">-60</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>At the time of the request, Respondent only provided Complainant with a copy of an undated<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">safety and health manual, which did not have provisions for trenching and excavations or for hazard communications.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Ex. C-3).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The former was of concern considering Respondent’s principal business is trenching and excavations, whereas the latter was concerning because CSHO Lake had determined Respondent’s employees were assisting the plumbers in the sealing and gluing of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">pipe at the bottom of the trench and were thus exposed to materials warranting training in hazard communications.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent ultimately provided<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant with a copy of its hazard communications program as an exhibit at trial. (Ex. R-</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">27</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">With respect to the hazard communications program, Respondent points out its employees received basic training from Katerra as to the chemicals t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hey might encounter<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at the worksite, but<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that it did not provide specific training to its employees because they were not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">expected<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to be exposed to any hazardous chemicals.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>This is consistent with Mr. Finley’s testimony, as well as CSHO Lake’s, that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his employees may have been in the trench at times when the plumbers were working on the pipe, but the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">y were not authorized nor trained how to install plumbing</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. The only testimony indicating Respondent’s employees worked on the pipe itself is Mr. Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>testifying he cut the improperly installed pipe.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Otherwise, Finley testified his employees only install drainage pipe, which is a perforated pipe laid around the exterior of a building</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and does not require adhesives to connect. (Tr.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>254).</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">IV.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">LEGAL<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ANALYSIS</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">To establish a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">prima facie</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>violation of a specific standard promulgated under section 5(a)(2) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. § 651,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">et seq</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (“Act”), the Secretary must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that: (1) the standard applies to the cited condition; (2) the terms of the standard were violated; (3) one or more of the employer’s employees had access to the cited conditions; and (4) the employer knew, or with the exercise of reasonable diligence could have known, of the violative conditions.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Ormet</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Corporation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 14 BNA OSHC 2134 (No. 85-0531, 1991).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.295cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Secretary</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>must establish<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">prima facie</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>case by preponderance of the evidence.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Hartford Roofing Co</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">., 17 BNA OSHC 1361 (No. 92-3855, 1995).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“Preponderance of the evidence” has been defined as:</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:72px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The greater weight of the evidence, not necessarily established by the greater number of witnesses testifying to a fact but by evidence that has the most convincing force; superior evidentiary weight that, though not sufficient to free the mind wholly from all reasonable doubt, is still sufficient to incline a fair and impartial mind to one side of the issue rather than the other.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-right:54px; widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Black’s Law Dictionary, “Preponderance of the Evidence” (10th ed. 2014).</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">A.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
				</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Citation 1, Item<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">a</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Complainant alleged a serious violation of the Act in Citation 1, Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as follows:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 CFR<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">19</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">26</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">651(h)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Employees were working in excavations in which there was accumulated water</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, or excavations in which water was accumulating, and adequate precautions had not been taken to protect employees against the hazards posed by water accumulation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, LLC at 1570 Grove Street, Denver, CO:<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">On and around March 25, 2020, the exposing, creating, and correcting employer did not ensure that each employee working inside an excavation that was approximately 18 feet wide and varied from 6.4 to 9.8 feet in depth was protected from cave-in due to water accumulation, in that ground water was accumulating in the bottom of the excavation. This condition exposed employees and contractor employees to crushing hazards by excavation wall cave-in.</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation and Notification of Penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">6</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
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			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Standard Applied</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
					</span>and its Terms Were Violated</span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to 29 C.F.R. § 1926.650(a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, “[T]his subpart applies to all open excavations made in the earth’s surface</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>. Excavations are defined to include trenches.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” There is no dispute the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">plumbing excavation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">qualifies as an<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“excavation”, which is defined as “</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface, formed by earth removal.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>§ 1926.650</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(b).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Accordingly, the standard applies.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>The real dispute in this case is whether the standard was violated</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which the parties have boiled down to a question about the source of the water CSHO Lake identified in the trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">w</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hen he began his inspection on March 25, 2020</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, in response to an anonymous complaint about<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">trenches with water<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and inadequate protection.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant contends the water in the excavation came from groundwater<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at the bottom and sides of the excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which is based on CSHO Lake’s interviews with Respondent’s employees, members of Katerra’s management team, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the geotechnical report provided by Respondent.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This, in turn, Complainant argu</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">es presented a cave-in hazard because standing water at the base of an excavation weakens the integrity of its walls.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Conversely,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent contends<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a limited amount of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">water came from a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">pipe which was cut shortly before the inspection<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">did not pose a cave-in hazard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>because it was temporary and merely resting on top of squeegee, which is not designed to absorb water.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court finds Complainant established a violation of the standard.</span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>First,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the Court<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">previously credited</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>CSHO Lake’s testimony<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that the source of the water was the ground itself. As noted above, Finley’s testimony and version of the events of that day and the two days prior was inconsistent with every person CSHO Lake interviewed, except for the people whom Finley<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">told the water was from the pipe. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">306</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). During the inspection, Severance told CSHO Lake he encountered water in the plumbing excavation when he started digging and throughout the two days it took to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">sufficiently prepare it for the Katerra plumbers. It was not until his deposition, taken<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">over a year</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>later, th</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">recalled the water coming from the pipe the Katerra plumbers cut</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">even though Finley is adamant he</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>alone</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>cut the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Ex. C-4).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">H</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">owever, it is important to note<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">even<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Severance testified the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">source</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the water was irrelevant. (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ex. C-4 at 61</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). Instead, he stated<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the presence of water in an excavation automatically converts the soil to type C</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, because he recognized the potential for groundwater to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“soak up the bank, the bottom of the ditch and make – it can make it collapse.” (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ex. C-4 at 46, 61).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Regardless of the source, and by Respondent’s own admission at trial,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">neither Finley nor Severance performed an inspection of the soil once the water had entered the excavation, even though both explicitly recognized the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">increased hazard associated with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the presence of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">water in the excavation. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">295</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex. C-4 at 46, 61).<span>
						</span></span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Second, in addition to the Court crediting the testimony of CSHO Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and the statements he gathered over that of Mr. Finley, the Court also finds other facts support</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>a violation of the standard.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley himself admitted he is not a plumber and could not speculate as to the source of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the water, but then went on to say plumbers often fill pipes with water to leak test them, which would explain why there was water in the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. According to statements taken by CSHO Lake, Finley’s explanation does not hold water because Phil Pollock, one of Katerra’s superintendents, told CSHO Lake he was the only person qualified to tie the new pipes into the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">sand/water interceptor</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-1<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at 0018</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). Further, there was no testimony</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or statement</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">indicating</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>water<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">had been</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>pumped into the excavation for such testing. Instead, we have two Katerra managers</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and three of Respondent’s employees telling the CSHO<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the water was coming from the ground</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and that it had done so in nearly 80% of the excavations at the worksite</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which itself is consistent with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a geotechnical</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>report</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>finding groundwater at various locations around the worksite</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-1 at 18, C-3 at 38</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>It is true, as Respondent argues, the geotechnical report</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>indicates the core samples did not run into water until 18 feet</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>below grade</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">C-3 at 38</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The report also mentions, however, that groundwater levels<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">may</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>fluctuate</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>depending on conditions. (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ex. C-3</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). One</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>thing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the report notes<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">neither party mentioned, however, is the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">caveat provided at the very beginning of the report’s discussion of the subsurface exploration. (Ex. C-</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">3 at 0042). The report states, “</span><span style="font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Because of the significant elevation differentials<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">across the site, in GROUND’s opinion, the test hole locations and elevations should be determined more precisely by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">surveying.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>More precise</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ly determined elevations may require modification of some parameters in this report.” (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">) (emphasis in original).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">A closer look at the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">starting elevations of the core samples illustrates this very issue: the core samples taken have different starting elevations that vary</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>by as little as one foot and as much as 14 feet</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Ex. C-3 at 0067).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Although Respondent’s trench, by CSHO Lake’s very rough measurements,</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref5" href="#ftn5">4</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>only measured<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">roughly 10-feet deep at its deepest, the site’s elevation variations,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as well as the potential for fluctuations in the groundwater</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, certainly provide a reasonable explanation for the existence of groundwater and support the statements provided to CSHO Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">by Respondent’s employees and by those managers of Katerra who had independent, first-hand knowledge of the condition of the trench.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The standard itself prohibits working in an excavation with accumulated water unless proper precautions are being taken to protect against the hazards of accumulation.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926.651(h)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Excavations</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">54 Fed. Reg.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">45894 (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">October 31, 1989</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">) (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">noting<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">importance of change was to permit working in excavations with water so long as precautions are taken)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Subsequently, it notes the precautions will vary with each situation.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>In this situation,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">there is no indication Respondent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>took any precautions<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">whatsoever<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in response to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the water in the trench, nor is it clear adequate inspections were conducted in light of the geotechnical report</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>which both identified groundwater<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">on a land plot with large variations in elevation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and recommended sloping at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.5 :</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1 (horizontal : vertical)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which is a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ype C<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">slope</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Both Finley and Severance gave sworn testimony<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that water in an excavation warrants re-inspection, reclassification, and appropriate precautions. There is no evidence any of these occurred. Instead, Finley contends the water was merely resting at the bottom of the trench due to h</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is crew installing squeegee, which is not designed to absorb water. (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">247</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex. C-3 at 0057).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As CSHO Lake explained, however, the level of the water, which had purportedly only just been introduced in the hour prior to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>his arrival, never abated during his time at the worksite, which he estimated to be around two hours.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Given<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">how recently the spill purportedly occurred, CSHO Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">wondered why</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the water was not more quickly absorbed into the surrounding soil.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">While the source of the water has implications for the type of hazard presented by the excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and the appropriate response, all parties agree any water in an excavation requires a response of some sort in light of the hazards associated</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>with the condition</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, including<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">slips and falls</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">or,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as alleged in this case, a cave-in hazard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">54 Fed. Reg. at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">45922</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Although there was no testimony as to the depth of the water, all<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">agreed</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the water extended from the south end towards the north along<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">roughly 90% of the bottom, which CSHO Lake estimated to be roughly 160 feet long.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Commission ALJs have upheld violations of the cited standard for water as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">shallow as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">four- to five-</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">inches</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>when adequate precautions have not been taken</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, e.g.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">B&B Underground Contractors</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 23 BNA OSHC 1909, 2011 WL 3851820 at *9 (No. 11-0466, 2011) (ALJ Calhoun).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">While some areas of the trench were sloped<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at approximately 34 degrees by CSHO Lake’s measurements, other portions of the trench were sloped at 45 degrees or were benched</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which, according to both the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Appendix</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and Mr. Severance himself, is improper for<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">submerged soil or excavations walls that are seeping</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 C.F.R.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">§ 1926, Su</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">bpart P, Appx. A & B</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As previously noted,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent failed to perform a follow-up inspection after water was found in the trench, let alone implement any<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">discernible</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>response to its presence.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This represents a violation of the standard according to its very terms: Respondent had employees in the trench</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>with accumulated water and failed to take any precautions to address the hazards associated with the presence of water.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Accordingly, the Court finds Respondent violated the hazard.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">2.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Respondent’s Employees Were Exposed to the Hazard</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">To</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>prove a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">prima facie<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">violation of the Act, Complainant must show</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“employees . . . will be, have been, or are in a zone of danger</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Fabricated Metal Prods., Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">18 BNA OSHC 1072 (No. 93-1853, 1997)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. In this case, the question of exposure is not complicated</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. CSHO Lake observed Finley and three of his own employees working inside the trench in a location where</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavation was improperly benched and had water at the bottom. (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ex. C</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">-1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 38</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As testified to by CSHO Lake, Severance, and Finley, the presence of water has the potential to cause cave-ins by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">soaking up the bank and causing it to collapse. (Ex. C-4 at 46).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">While Respondent may contest the source of the water<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and attempt to explain away why it stayed in the trench, the water remained in the trench for the entirety of CSHO Lake’s inspection without abating</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and Respondent did nothing to remove it or abate the hazard imposed by its presence.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Respondent attempts to question CSHO Lake’s credibility and his exposure findings by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">noting his inspection narrative for Citation 1, Item 1a identifies multiple Katerra employees as being exposed to the hazard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and as providing information</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Finley contends</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>this</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>clouds<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">assessment</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>because</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">it is unclear</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>whether those employees were referring to the correct excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">they were actually</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Katerra’s employees.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court finds this is a problem in search of a solution. CSHO Lake adequately explained to the Court why he listed the people he did as employees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in his narrative and how he ensured the people he was speaking to were employees of Respondent and were speaking specifically about the trench at issue in this case.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">There is nothing in the record or in Finley’s testimony to suggest otherwise other than a bare insinuation that CSHO Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">might have<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">gotten it wrong. The Court declines Respondent’s invitation to so speculate.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Based on the foregoing, the Court finds Complainant established Respondent’s employees, including Finley himself, were exposed to the hazard posed by the standing water in the excavation.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">3.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Respondent Knew or Could Have Known of the Hazardous Condition </span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">To prove this element, Complainant must show Respondent knew or, with the exercise of reasonable diligence, could have known of the violation.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Dun-Par Engineered Form Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 12 BNA<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">OSHC 1962, 1965 (No. 82-928, 1986). The key is whether Respondent was aware of the conditions constituting a violation, not whether it understood the conditions violated the Act.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Phoenix Roofing, Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 17 BNA OSHC 1076, 1079–80 (No. 90-2148, 1995). Complainant can prove knowledge of an employer through the knowledge, actual or constructive, of its supervisory employees.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Dover Elevator Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 16 BNA OSHC 1281, 1286 (No. 91-862, 1993). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The question of whether Respondent knew or could have known of the hazardous condition is not complicated.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">When CSHO Lake arrived, he observed a person later identified as Jason Finley<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>working alongside his employees.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>not merely a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">supervisor, but</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the owner and operator of Respondent (Finley, LLC)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. N</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ot only</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>did Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>observ</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the conditions as they exist</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ed on the date of the inspection, but<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in the area of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the hazard identified by CSHO Lake.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Regardless of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">whether Finley or Severance perceived those conditions as hazardous is immaterial; the Act only requires<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent be aware of the condition constituting the hazard.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Phoenix Roofing, Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">supra</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Accordingly, the Court finds Respondent was aware of the hazard.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">4.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Violation Was Serious</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">A violation is classified as serious under the Act if “there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result.” 29 U.S.C. § 666(k). Complainant need not show there was a substantial probability an accident would occur, only that if an accident did occur, serious physical harm could result. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Mosser Constr., Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 23 BNA OSHC 1044, 1046 (No. 08-0631, 2010).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> CSHO Lake testified, without dispute, the presence of water in an<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">improperly protected trench presents a cave-in hazard.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Trench cave-ins are dangerous, and sometimes fatal, events.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">120</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he Court finds Citation 1, Item 1a is properly characterized as serious.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Accordingly, the Court finds Complainant<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">proved</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Respondent committed a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">serious<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.651(h)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">B.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
				</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Citation<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">, Item<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">b</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Complainant alleged a serious violation of the Act in Citation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">b</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as follows:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 CFR<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1926.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">652(b)(2)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Maximum allowable slopes, and allowable configurations for sloping and benching systems, were not determined in accordance with the conditions and requirements set forth in Appendices A and B to this subpart:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">(a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, LLC at 1570 Grove St., Denver, CO: On and around March 25, 2020, the exposing creating, and correcting employer did not ensure that each employee working inside an excavation, where ground water had accumulated, that was approximately<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">18 feet wide and varied from 6.4 to 9.8 feet in depth was protected from gave-in, in that the excavation was sloped at an angle greater than the 34 degree maximum allowable slope for type C soil and that the excavation was benched, which is prohibited for type C soil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>This condition exposed employees and contractor employees to crushing hazards by excavation wall cave-in.</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation and Notification of Penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 7</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Standard Applied</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">For the same reasons listed above with respect to Citation 1, Item 1a, the Court finds 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(b)(2)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>applies to the condition cited by Complainant.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">2.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Citation Item is Duplicative</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant seeks to hold Respondent liable<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">for two violations of essentially the same condition. First, Complainant alleged Respondent violated 1926.651(h)(1)<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">because there was water in the trench in which Respondent’s employees were working, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">all</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>walls were sloped</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>appropriately for type C soil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Next, Complainant alleged Respondent violated 1926.652(b)(2)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>because it did not slope<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">all of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the excavation wall</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>appropriately for<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">submerged soil, which, according to Appendix A and B, should be characterized as type C.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926, Subpart P, Appx. A</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Not only was proper sloping the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">only abatement<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">method<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">discussed<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">respect to eithe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">r violation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, but it would appear Complainant, by citing Respondent in this manner, is attempting to mandate the method of abatement for a performance standard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citations are duplicative if<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the abatement of one violation necessarily results in the abatement of the other</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">N</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">orth Eastern Precas</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">t LLC</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 26 BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2275,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2018 WL<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">13094</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">80</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at *5<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(N</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">o. 13-1169<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">et. al.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2018).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In fact, the Commission has<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">found violations duplicative<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">under<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">three basic sets of facts</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">where they require the same<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">abatement conduct;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">where they involve substantially the same violative conduct;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">or where they involve the same abatement.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See id.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(internal citations omitted).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to the Commission, however,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">violations are not duplicative<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">where they involve standards directed at fundamentally different conduct</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>. . .</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or where the conditions giving rise to the violation are separate and distinct.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(citations omitted).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Here,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the Court finds Citation Item 1, 1b is duplicative of Item 1, 1a.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In both cases,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the identified hazard is the presence of water in the excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. In both cases,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant alleges Respondent failed to treat the soil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as type C, as is required when soil is submerged</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>under water.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Now, Complainant did not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">explicitly</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>require abatement of Citation Item 1, 1a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>by way of sloping to type C specifications; however,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the slope of the excavation walls was the only<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">abatement discussed and the only condition noted as violative. In other</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>words,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">not only would the same<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">conduct abate the identified hazard in both citation items, but it appears Complainant is using<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation Item 1, 1b as a specific method of abatement for the violation identified in Citation 1, 1a.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Thus, not only has Complainant cited</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Respondent under</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>two separate standards for the same conduct</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, but Complainant seeks the same abatement method for both violations</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Accordingly, the Court finds Citation 1, Item 1b is duplicative and shall be VACATED.</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref6" href="#ftn6">5</a></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">C.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
				</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Citation 1, Item 2</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Complainant alleged a serious violation of the Act in Citation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as follows:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 CFR<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1926.65</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1(k)(1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems were not made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in possible cave-ins, indications<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">failure of protective systems</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:81.6px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:81.6px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">(a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, LLC at 1570 Grove St., Denver, CO: On and around March 25, 2020, the exposing creating, and correcting employer did not ensure that<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">daily inspections of an excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that was approximately 18 feet wide and varied from 6.4 to 9.8 feet in depth</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>were made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in a hazardous condition, in hat the competent person did not identify that submerged soil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>must be classified as type C soil and in that the competent person was not conducting manual soil analysis during excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>inspections or when conditions affecting the soils classification changed such as soil submerged with water. This condition exposed employees and contractor employees to crushing hazards by excavation wall cave-in.</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation and Notification of Penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">8</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Standard Applied and its Terms Were Violated</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Like the previous two citation items discussed above, the Court finds the standard applies.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Also, like the previous two items, the key issue before the Court is whether Respondent violated the terms of the standard.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">During his inspection, CSHO Lake asked Severance and Finley a series of questions about<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">how the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">y</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>assessed the soil<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in order to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>make the appropriate soil type designat</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ion and implement the appropriate protection. According to CSHO Lake, both Severance and Finley appeared confused by the questions he asked about<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">soil typing and manual testing of the soil.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">38, 39, 45, 131; Ex. C-1 at 1).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>At the time of the inspection, both Finley and Severance told CSHO Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">they had not performed anything other than a visual examination of the trench and that they had relied on the geotechnical report</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to ascertain the appropriate soil type. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">45, 133</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">-134</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">There is virtually no documentation of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent performing inspections of this or any other trench (though none is legally required) it worked on in the seven weeks it was at the worksite.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As regards<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the trench at issue,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley testified he did not perform a new</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>examination of the soil or reclassify it in response to the presence of water. (Tr. 295).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Because of these facts, CSHO Lake determined<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">neither Finley nor Severance was a competent person and that Respondent failed to perform competent person inspections according to the terms of the standard.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In response, Finley contends both he and Severance simply misunderstood CSHO Lake’s questions<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">regarding manual testing of the soil and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that CSHO Lake is simply mistaken as to whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">additional testing was performed on the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavation once water was discovered in the bottom.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Further, Finley argues<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he and Severance are clearly competent people based on their extensive experience in the field of earthmoving and excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>In other words, the Court is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">yet again faced with conflicting reports<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">over a key fact in this case.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As with the previous disputes, the Court again finds CSHO Lake’s testimony to be more credible.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Notwithstanding<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley and Severance’s extensive experience, they were apparently incapable of understanding CSHO Lake’s question</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>about whether they had performed a manual test</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the soil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Finley claims he misunderstood what CSHO Lake meant by a “manual” test, as if he were referring to some<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">unidentified manual, when he was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">actually<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">referring</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to the test recommended by the excavation and trenching standard.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This represents yet another<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excuse</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>by Respondent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>that does not square with the facts. The Court would expect someone with Respondent’s extensive experience<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">would understand what someone was asking if they inquired whether he had performed additional, manual tests to go along with the visual tests he told CSHO Lake about.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Instead, at the time of the inspection, Finley<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">exhibited</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>ignorance of the requirements and</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>then</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, when it came time for trial, illustrated an encyclopedic knowledge<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of those same requirements</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake’s testimony, however, was consistent with his contemporaneously taken notes</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and withstood cross-examination by Respondent.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">A competent person is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, according to the Act,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“one who is capable of identifying existing or predictable hazards in the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">surroundings</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” 29 C.F.R. § 1926.650(b)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Generally, this requires training and knowledge in the areas of soil analysis, protective systems, and the standard’s requirements.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Excavations, 54 Fed. Reg. 45894, 45909.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See also<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Superior Masonry Builders</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 20 BNA OSHC 1182 (No. 96-1043, 2003) (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">holding a person illustrates competence by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">performing a competent and reasonable inspection and that experience alone does not qualify a designee</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as a “competent person”).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In the face of the foregoing, the Court is presented with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">two likely scenarios: (1) Finley, with his copious amounts of experience,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is a competent person under the terms of the standard, albeit one who failed to perform adequate inspections of his worksite and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">appropriately assess the soil of the excavations he and his employees were working in; or (2) Finley</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, with his copious amounts of experience, failed to gain the necessary knowledge<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">during his tenure in order<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to perform compliant inspections and respond appropriately to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">changes in trench conditions.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In either case, the Court finds Respondent violated the standard</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, because it means either Respondent did not understand enough to be a competent person or simply did not perform the inspections as required by the terms of the standard.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">By Respondent’s own admission to CSHO Lake, he did not perform an updated inspection or assessment of the trench after water had been introduced.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">By his own admission he primarily performed visual inspections of the trench, but there is no evidence of this or any other examination of the trench or soil</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>occurring.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">To the extent Respondent’s visual examinations were, in fact, occurring, the Court finds they were inadequate in the face of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">condition of this excavation specifically, and the worksite generally.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Given the condition of the trench</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and Respondent’s statements to CSHO Lake at the time of the inspection, the Court finds Respondent violated the terms of 29 C.F.R. §<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1926.651(k)(1).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">2.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Respondent’s Employees Were Exposed to a Hazard</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">For the same reasons expressed above with respect to Citation 1, Item 1a, the Court finds Respondent’s employees were exposed to the hazard posed by Respondent’s failure to conduct competent person inspections.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">3.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Respondent Knew or Could Have Known of the Hazardous Condition</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant can show constructive knowledge through a lack of any policy or procedure designed to uncover hazards. “[A]n employer has a general obligation to inspect its workplace for hazards.”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Hamilton Fixture</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 16 BNA OSHC 1073, 1993 WL 127949 at *16 (No. 88-1720, 1993) (citing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Automatic Sprinkler Corp. of America</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 8 BNA OSHC 1384, 1387 (No. 76-5089, 1980)). The scope of that obligation “requires a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">careful and critical examination<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and is not satisfied by a mere opportunity to view equipment.”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Austin Comm. v. OSHRC</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 610 F.2d 200, 202 (5th Cir. 1979) (emphasis added). Some factors to assess whether an employer has exercised reasonable diligence include an employer’s “obligation to inspect the work area, to anticipate hazards to which employees may be exposed, and to take measures to prevent the occurrence.”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Frank Swidzinski Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 9 BNA OSHC 1230, 1233 (No. 76-4627, 1981).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">It is notable Respondent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">does not have a section of its safety and health program dedicated to trenching or excavations. In fact,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">after reviewing Respondent’s safety and health program in its entirety, the Court cannot find a single mention of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">trenches or excavations at all</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which is unusual</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">for a company whose primary business is trenches.</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref7" href="#ftn7">6</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In light of this utter lack<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of any safety and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">health policies related to trenching and excavations, it is hardly surprising Respondent<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">failed to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">perform regular or adequate inspections of its excavations.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">As the owner</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of Respondent, i</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">t was Finley’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">responsibility to ensure<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his program accounted for the hazards his employees could reasonably be expected to be exposed to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and implement an inspection regime designed to identify and mitigate those hazards.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Not only<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">did Respondent lack</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>a program or policy discussing the hazards of trenches and excavations</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, but there is nothing within the policy itself discussing worksite inspections</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of any sort</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In light of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">generic nature of Respondent’s safety and health policy,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley’s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>initial</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>inability to understand CSHO Lake’s inquiries<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">during the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>inspection<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the unstructured and informal nature of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his inspection regime<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">makes much more sense</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>given his fairly extensive experience in the arena of excavations.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In light of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the foregoing</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, the Court finds Respondent, through its owner, knew it was not complying with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the requirement to perform daily inspections sufficient to uncover<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hazardous conditions. While Finley and Severance are clearly experienced, the lack of any safety and health<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">policy<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">regarding</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>trenches and excavations</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>inhibited their ability to perform timely and adequate inspections.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">4.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">The Violation Was Serious</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court finds Citation 1, Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is properly characterized as serious</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">for the same reasons it did with respect to Citation 1, Item 1a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>An improperly monitored excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, particularly one that has exhibited groundwater problems, can lead to seriou</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s injuries up to and including death.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Accordingly, the Court finds Complainant proved Respondent committed a serious violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.651(</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">k)(</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1).</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">D.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
				</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Citation 1, Item 3a</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Complainant alleged a serious violation of the Act in Citation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">3a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as follows:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 CFR<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">19</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">10.1200(e)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Employer had not developed or implemented a hazard communication program included [sic] the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">i</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and (e)(1)(ii):<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:100.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:100.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">(a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, LLC at 1570 Grove St., Denver, CO: On and around March 25, 2020, the<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employer did not develop, implement, and maintain at the workplace a<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">site-specific</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>written hazard communication program. Employees<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">were potentially exposed to hazardous chemical, including but not limited to the<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">following;</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span></span></p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:100.8px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:148.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:148.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Christy’s Red Hot Blue Glue Low VOC PVC Plastic Pipe Cement</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:148.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:148.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">2)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">MAINLINE Purple Low VOC Primer for PVC and CPVC</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation and Notification of Penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">9</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">E.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
				</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Citation 1, Item 3b</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Complainant alleged a serious violation of the Act in Citation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">3b</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as follows:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 CFR<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">19</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">10.1200(h)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not previously trained about was introduced into their work area</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:100.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:100.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">(a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, LLC at 1570 Grove St., Denver, CO: On and around March 25, 2020, the<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employer did not provide employees with effective information and training on the location and availability of the written hazard communication program, the format of safety data sheets, and the format and availability of Globally Harmonized System labels for chemical containers. This condition potentially exposed employees to chemical hazards</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation and Notification of Penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">10</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">C</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">omplainant Failed to<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Establish Exposure<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">in Citation 1, Items 3a & 3b</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent did not have a copy of its hazard communication program a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the worksite as required by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1910.1200(e)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>nor did it provide chemical- or site-specific training<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as required by 1910.1200(h)(1).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Notwithstanding these failures, the Court finds<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant’s evidence regarding exposure to the identified chemicals is insufficient to establish<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">prima facie<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">case.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">According to CSHO Lake</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Finley<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">told him</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>he did not know what a hazard communication program was</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and it was not until trial that Finley provided a copy of a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">generic</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>hazard communications<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">program</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref8" href="#ftn8">7</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">55, 59, 63-67</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Ex.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">R-26</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Further,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent readily admitted<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he did not provide<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hazard communications</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>training to his employees, relying instead on the basic primer provided by Katerra prior to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">starting work at the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Grove Street</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>site. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">282</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Notwithstanding these failures, the Court finds Complainant did not prove Respondent’s employees were exposed to the chemicals identified</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, nor does it find</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>a violation of the standard can be substantiated by Respondent’s failure to have an SDS sheet for the gasoline it puts in its vehicles or the battery acid<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">present in those vehicles’ batteries.</span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant asserts it is undisputed Respondent’s employees were exposed to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the two chemicals specified in the citation narrative</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and cites to three separate portions of the transcript, none of which identify testimony from Respondent indicating agreement</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Tr. 48, 147, 154). In fact, Respondent<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">explicitly denied his employees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">helped the plumbers connect the pipe at the bottom of the trench</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">254</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). While Finley admitted his employees may have worked in the trench while the plumbers were<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">connecting and sealing pipe with the chemicals in question</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, he took great pains to point out<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his employees do not do plumbing work</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">254</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This jibes with other testimony given by Finley, where h</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e testified his company<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">only installs drainage pipe, which does not require adhesive</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, or where he admitted not knowing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">how water<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">entered</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the pipe the plumbers had installed in the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>excavation. Further, in this<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">case</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, as opposed to the other instances where the Court credited CSHO Lake’s testimony over Finley’s,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the Court finds<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake’s testimony on this topic<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">vague</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>when it came to identifying who, exactly,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was connecting pipes and applying the identified adhesives. Based on Finley’s testimony, the Court finds it</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>just as likely<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">there was a misunderstanding about who was</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">merely in the trench and who was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">installing the pipe and, thus, exposed to the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">chemicals identified above.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he Court is not convinced<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant has established the level of training and</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>information Respondent provided to its employees was insufficient. As noted previously,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">when Respondent installs “plumbing”, it is drainage pipe that does not require</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>adhesives</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. As such, there was no reason to provide independent training on hazards that were not reasonably anticipated. Further,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">given<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that expectation, the Court finds the training and information provided to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent’s employees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">through Katerra<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">appears appropriate</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for the hazard presented by working adjacent to other employees who are required to use such chemicals.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finally,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the Court finds Complainant’s attempt to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">include gasoline and battery acid as potential exposures<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">bridge too far. First,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the alleged exposures in the Citation and Notification of penalty<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">explicitly list the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">adhesives applied to the pipe</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Attempting to squeeze in gasoline</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for equipment</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and battery acid</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as additional<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hazards<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">fails the basic test for an amendment<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">because</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>neither chemical is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>related to the exposure originally allege</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">d</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and thus represents<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a new allegation requiring Complainant to plead additional facts.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Full Life Hospice, LLC v. Sebelius</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 709 F.3d 1012, 1018 (10th Cir. 2013) (“[A] new pleading cannot relate back if the effect of the new pleading ‘is to fault [the defendants] for conduct different from that identified in the original complaint,’ even if the new pleading ‘shares some elements and some facts in common with the original claim.”’) (internal citations omitted)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Second, the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Court finds making such an allegation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">trivializes legitimate threats to safety and health</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and highlights the weakness of Complainant’s original allegation. The Court refuses to accept an invitation to uphold a violation based on Respondent’s employees’ exposure to gasoline, which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">represents no greater hazard to a trench digger than a stay-at-home dad</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>filling up for soccer practice, or to battery acid,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">for which there was absolutely no evidence of exposure.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>The Court finds Complainant failed to establish its<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">prima facie<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">case. Accordingly, Citation 1, Items 3a and 3b shall be VACATED.</span></p>
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			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">F.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
				</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Citation 2, Item 1</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Complainant alleged a serious violation of the Act in Citation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Item 1 as follows:<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 CFR<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1926.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">95(d)(1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), used to comply with this part, was not provided by the employer at no cost to the employees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:100.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-left:100.8px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">(a)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, LLC at 1570 Grove St., Denver, CO: On and around March 25, 2020,<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">PPE was not provided by the employer at no cost to the employees in that the employer required employees to purchase their own chemically resistant and cut resistant gloves. This condition potentially exposed employees to chemical and physical hazards, while laying pipe in an excavation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation and Notification of Penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">11</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:144px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Complainant Failed to Prove a Violation of the Standard</span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant’s failure to include any argument about<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">who provides PPE is a testament to t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he strength of Complainant’s case<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as to this viola</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">tion.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Complainant did include a single, proposed finding of fact</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which indicated Finley admitted his employees are required to pay for their own PPE.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Specifically, CSHO Lake targeted the gloves Respondent’s employees were wearing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in light of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>his determination those employees were exposed to chemical hazards while installing pipe.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Tr. 162). As with the previous violation, the Court finds the proposed violation is the result of a misunderstanding<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and lack of follow-up.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake testified Finley told him<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his employees were required to provide their own PPE but that he had<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">extra equipment available if they need it. (Tr. 161).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake acknowledged, however, he did not follow up with Respondent’s employees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to determine whether their PPE was provided free</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of charge</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, because “it’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an other</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>than serious, and usually this get thrown out anyway during informal conferences</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, so I don’t put a lot of trouble into documenting<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">these things</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 162).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finley, on the other hand, testified<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he was attempting to tell CSHO Lake that some of his employees choose to wear their own equipment</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which they provide at their own<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">expense</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; however, he also testified he provides the equipment necessary to address the hazards to which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his employees</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>are regularly exposed. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">254-55, 272-73</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Given Complainant’s failure to seriously pursue this citation item,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake’s nonchalance<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as to its importance, and Respondent’s reasonable explanation as to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the misunderstanding, the Court finds Complainant failed to prove a violation of the standard. Accordingly, Citation 2, Item 1 is VACATED.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:bold; padding-right:20px;">V.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Penalty</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Under the Act, the Secretary has the authority to propose a penalty according to Section 17 of the Act.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 U.S.C. §§ 659(a), 666. The amount proposed, however, merely becomes</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>advisory when an employer timely contests the matter. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Brennan v. OSHRC</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 487 F.2d 438, 441</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">–</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">42 (8th Cir. 1973);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Revoli</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Constr. Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 19 BNA OSHC 1682, 1686 n. 5 (No. 00-0315, 2001).</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Calibri; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ultimately, it is the province of the Commission to “assess all civil penalties provided in [Section 17]”, which it determines<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">de novo</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. 29 U.S.C. § 666(j);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Valdak</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Corp.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 17 BNA OSHC 1135 (No. 93-0239, 1995).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“Regarding penalty, the Act requires that “due consideration” be given to the employer</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s size, the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the employer, and any prior history of violations.”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Briones Util. Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 26 BNA OSHC 1218, 1222 (No. 10-1372, 2016) (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">citing</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>29 U.S.C. § 666(j)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">These factors are not necessarily accorded equal weight.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">J.A. Jones Constr.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 15 BNA OSHC 2201, 2216 (No. 87-2059, 1993) (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">citation omitted</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Rather, the Commission assigns the weight that is reasonable under the circumstances. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Eric K. Ho,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>20 BNA OSHC 1361, 1379 (No. 98-1645, 2003) (Consol.),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff'd sub nom.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Chao v. OSHRC</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 401 F.3d 355 (5th Cir. 2005).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">It is the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Secretary</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s burden to introduce evidence bearing on the factors and explain how he arrived at the penalty he proposed. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Valdak</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Corp</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">., 17 BNA OSHC at 1138</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“The gravity of the violation is the ‘principal factor in a penalty determination</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Calibri; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Assessing gravity involves considering: (1) the number of employees exposed to the hazard; (2) the duration of exposure; (3) whether any precautions have been taken against injury; (4) the degree of probability that an accident would occur; and (5) the likelihood of injury. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>e.g.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Capform</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 19 BNA OSHC 1374, 1378 (No. 99-0322, 2001),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 34 F. Appx. 152 (5th Cir. 2002) (unpublished). </span></p>
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				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">With respect to Citation 1, Item 1a, Complainant proposed a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">penalty of $2892</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, which it based on a determination<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the severity of the violation was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“high”,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>but its probability was “lesser”. (Tr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">126-27). </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">CSHO Lake explained the severity was high due to the potential for serious injury and death, but low in terms of probability because<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of the duration of the exposure. This penalty was also premised on Citation 1, Item 1a being grouped with Item 1b</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Complainant awarded a 70% reduction for Respondent’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">size, but</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>did no</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">t award any additional reductions due to Respondent’s lack of a formal safety and health program.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court finds<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the proposed penalty is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">too high for the following reasons: (1)<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the Court vacated Item 1b; and (2) while CSHO Lake identified water in the excavation, he did not show additional indications of the trench weakening</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, nor was there a precise measurement indicating the depth of the water at the bottom of the trench.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In light of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>those facts, the Court finds a penalty of $1200 is appropriate.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>With respect to Citation 1, Item 2,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>proposed a penalty of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">$2892, which is identical to the grouped penalty proposed with respect to Citation 1, Item 1a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. The assessment is identical<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">because the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">y targeted the same condition, at the same time, affecting the same people.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Again, the Court finds the penalty<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is high, albeit for slightly different reasons.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Court believes<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent was conducting some level of review of the trench’s conditions; however, it was not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">nearly as robust or thorough as</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>what is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">required by the standard.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This, in turn, had an impact on Respondent’s ability to identify and rectify hazardous conditions<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">can occur while excavating.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">While a downward departure from Complainant’s proposal is appropriate, the Court will not reduce the penalty<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">similar to</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Item 1a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. The lack of an adequate<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">inspection regime is a direct result of Respondent relying on a cookie cutter safety and health plan that bears little<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">connection to the work Respondent performs.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This, in turn, reflects a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">need for Respondent</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to take</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>more seriously</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">its duty as a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>steward of its employees’ safety and health.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Accordingly, the Court<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">finds a penalty of $2000 is appropriate.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;">O</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;">RDER</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The foregoing Decision constitutes the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in accordance with Rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclus</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ions of Law, it is ORDERED that:</span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation 1, Item<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>AFFIRMED as serious, and penalty of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>$1200</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>is ASSESSED.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span></span></p>
			<p style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">2.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, Item<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">b</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>VACATED</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			<p style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">3.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation 1, Item 2 is AFFIRMED as serious, and a penalty of<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">$2000</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
					</span>is ASSESSED.</span></p>
			<p style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">4.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation 1, Items 3a & 3b are VACATED.</span></p>
			<p style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-size:12pt; padding-right:20px;">5.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Citation 2, Item 1 is VACATED.<span>
					</span></span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:24px; widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">SO</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>ORDERED</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:20pt; font-family:Brush Script MT; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-family:Brush Script MT; font-size:20pt; text-decoration:underline ;">/s/ Peggy S. Ball</span><span style="font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Peggy S. Ball</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Judge, OSHRC</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Date:</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Denver, Colorado</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<hr/>"
      <div>
				<p>
					<a name="ftn-1" href="#ftnref-1"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p>
					<a name="ftn0" href="#ftnref0"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p>
					<a name="ftn1" href="#ftnref1"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn2" href="#ftnref2"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">1 </span></a>. Including, as previously mentioned, Mr. Finley’s<span>
					</span>attempt to obscure his own identity from the CSHO when asked about the on-site manager or foreman, which would have been him at the time.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn3" href="#ftnref3"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">2 </span></a>. Subsequently CSHO Lake testified he could not be sure whether<span>
					</span>Mesches told him he observed the walls seeping, but he reiterated that Phil Pollock<span><span></span>
					</span>“definitely” told him that. (Tr. 203).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn4" href="#ftnref4"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">3 </span></a>.<span><span></span>
					</span>In<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">R.P Carbone</span>, the Sixth Circuit also evaluated a CSHO’s hearsay testimony on the topic of duration using a multi-factor analysis outlined by the Supreme Court.<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">See R.P. Carbone Constr. Co.</span>, 166 F.3d at 818-19 (citing<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">Richardson v. Perales,</span><span><span></span>
					</span>402 U.S. 389, 402–06, 91<span>
					</span>S.Ct. 1420, 28 L.Ed.2d 842 (1971)).  The Sixth Circuit stated that, in certain circumstances, hearsay testimony can constitute substantial evidence depending on consideration of the following factors:<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:justify; margin-left:42.267px; margin-right:48px; ">(1) the independence or possible bias of the declarant, (2) the type of hearsay material submitted, (3) whether the statements are signed and sworn to as opposed to anonymous, oral, or unsworn, (4) whether the statements are contradicted by direct testimony, (5) whether the declarant is available to testify and, if so, (6) whether the party objecting to the hearsay statements subpoenas the declarant, or whether the declarant is unavailable and no other evidence is available, (7) the credibility of the declarant if a witness, or of the witness testifying to the hearsay, and finally, (8) whether the hearsay is corroborated.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">See id.<span>
						</span></span>(citations omitted).<span>
					</span>In<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">Carbone</span>, the Sixth Circuit found the hearsay presented to the ALJ was properly relied upon as substantial evidence because: (1) the statements of the employees corroborated each other and were corroborated by their manager who said the employees did not know they needed fall protection while performing certain activities; and (2) those statements were also corroborated by an anonymous complaint filed with OSHA that the employees had been in violation of fall protection requirements for a significant period of time.<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn5" href="#ftnref5"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">4 </span></a>. Though the Court is without any accurate way to measure, the photographs of CSHO Lake’s attempts to measure the depth of the trench illustrate how much the trench rod flexes downward when he is attempting to<span>
					</span>hang a plumb bob to the floor of the trench. (Ex.<span>
					</span>C-1). While this alone may not account for a full extension to 15 feet below grade, the variances between the various locations at which water was found suggests<span>
					</span>its location below grade around the site was hardly uniform.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn6" href="#ftnref6"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">5 </span></a>.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>That Complainant did not propose a penalty for this citation item does not make it any less duplicative.<span>
					</span>There<span>
					</span>are consequences, both professionally and legally, for having a prior, serious violation of a standard on your record, regardless of whether the violation resulted in a fine.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn7" href="#ftnref7"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">6 </span></a>. It is also notable Respondent’s safety and health program has a footer on every page entitled, “Small Company Health and Safety Program Manual”, suggesting it is a generic program not specific to Respondent’s operations. (Ex. C-3 at 0005 to 0038).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn8" href="#ftnref8"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; ">7 </span></a>. The generic nature of<span><span></span>
					</span>Respondent’s hazard communication program<span><span></span>
					</span>bore striking similarities to Respondent’s<span>
					</span>“Small Company<span>
					</span><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Health and Safety Program Manual”, neither of which mentioned anything specific about Respondent’s primary business of excavation and earthmoving. (<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">Compare<span>
						</span></span>C-3 at 0003<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; ">with<span>
						</span></span>R-26).<span>
					</span></p>
			</div></div></body>
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