<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
		
<HEAD>
<META NAME="KEYWORDS" CONTENT="OSHRC Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission">
<TITLE> T. E. Stevens Company, Inc., Docket No. 16-1274</TITLE>
</HEAD>
		<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8"/>
		<style type="text/css">
 p.hiddenParagraph { visibility:hidden } 
 p { widows:0; orphans:0; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; widows:0; orphans:0; margin-top:0; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; color:WindowText; } 
 p { font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; widows:0; orphans:0; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman;  }  p.style_Normal { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; widows:0; orphans:0; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_Normal span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 p.style_Heading1 { outline-width:1; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:32px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:14pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#365F91; } 
.style_Heading1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#365F91; } 
 p.style_Heading2 { outline-width:2; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
.style_Heading2 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
 p.style_Heading3 { outline-width:3; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; } 
.style_Heading3 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; } 
 p.style_Heading4 { outline-width:4; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; } 
.style_Heading4 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; } 
 p.style_Heading5 { outline-width:5; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:11pt; font-family:Cambria; color:#6E6E6E; } 
.style_Heading5 span { font-family:Cambria; color:#6E6E6E; } 
 p.style_Heading6 { outline-width:6; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:11pt; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#6E6E6E; } 
.style_Heading6 span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#6E6E6E; } 
 p.style_Heading7 { outline-width:7; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:11pt; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading7 span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 p.style_Heading8 { outline-width:8; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:10pt; font-family:Cambria; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading8 span { font-family:Cambria; color:#404040; } 
 p.style_Heading9 { outline-width:9; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; font-size:10pt; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading9 span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 span.style_DefaultParagraphFont { } 
 table.style_TableNormal { } 
 span.style_FootnoteReference { } 
 p.style_FootnoteText { font-size:10pt; } 
.style_FootnoteText span { } 
 span.style_FootnoteTextChar { font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_FootnoteTextChar span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 span.style_Hyperlink { } 
 p.style_Default { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; color:#000000; } 
.style_Default span { font-family:Times New Roman; color:#000000; } 
 p.style_Header { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; } 
 span.style_HeaderChar { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_HeaderChar span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 p.style_Footer { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; } 
 span.style_FooterChar { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_FooterChar span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 p.style_BalloonText { font-size:8pt; font-family:Tahoma; } 
.style_BalloonText span { font-family:Tahoma; } 
 span.style_BalloonTextChar { font-size:8pt; font-family:Tahoma; } 
.style_BalloonTextChar span { font-family:Tahoma; } 
 p.style_ListParagraph { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-left:48px; } 
 span.style_Emphasis { font-style:italic; } 
.style_Emphasis span { font-style:italic; } 
 span.style_cosearchterm7 { font-weight:bold; color:#252525; } 
.style_cosearchterm7 span { font-weight:bold; color:#252525; } 
 span.style_cosearchterm8 { font-weight:bold; color:#252525; } 
.style_cosearchterm8 span { font-weight:bold; color:#252525; } 
 p.style_Heading11 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; } 
.style_Heading11 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; } 
 p.style_Heading21 { margin-top:32px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
.style_Heading21 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
 p.style_Heading31 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:96px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; } 
.style_Heading31 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; } 
 p.style_Heading41 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:144px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; } 
.style_Heading41 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; } 
 p.style_Heading51 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:192px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Cambria; color:#6E6E6E; } 
.style_Heading51 span { font-family:Cambria; color:#6E6E6E; } 
 p.style_Heading61 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:240px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#6E6E6E; } 
.style_Heading61 span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#6E6E6E; } 
 p.style_Heading71 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:288px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading71 span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 p.style_Heading81 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:336px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:10pt; font-family:Cambria; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading81 span { font-family:Cambria; color:#404040; } 
 p.style_Heading91 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:13.333px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; margin-left:384px; text-indent:0cm; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:10pt; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading91 span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 span.style_Heading1Char { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; } 
.style_Heading1Char span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; } 
 span.style_Heading2Char { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
.style_Heading2Char span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
 span.style_Heading3Char { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; } 
.style_Heading3Char span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#000000; } 
 span.style_Heading4Char { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; } 
.style_Heading4Char span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; } 
 span.style_Heading5Char { font-family:Cambria; color:#6E6E6E; } 
.style_Heading5Char span { font-family:Cambria; color:#6E6E6E; } 
 span.style_Heading6Char { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#6E6E6E; } 
.style_Heading6Char span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#6E6E6E; } 
 span.style_Heading7Char { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading7Char span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 span.style_Heading8Char { font-size:10pt; font-family:Cambria; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading8Char span { font-family:Cambria; color:#404040; } 
 span.style_Heading9Char { font-size:10pt; font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading9Char span { font-family:Cambria; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 p.style_BlockQuote1 { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Times New Roman; color:#000000; } 
.style_BlockQuote1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; color:#000000; } 
 span.style_QuoteChar { color:#000000; } 
.style_QuoteChar span { color:#000000; } 
 span.style_apple-converted-space { } 
 p.style_NormalWeb { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:6.667px; margin-bottom:6.667px; widows:2; orphans:2; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_NormalWeb span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 span.style_CommentReference { font-size:8pt; } 
.style_CommentReference span { } 
 p.style_CommentText { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:13.333px; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_CommentText span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 span.style_CommentTextChar { font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_CommentTextChar span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 p.style_CommentSubject { font-weight:bold; } 
.style_CommentSubject span { font-weight:bold; } 
 span.style_CommentSubjectChar { font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; } 
.style_CommentSubjectChar span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; } 
 p.style_Revision { margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; } 
.style_Revision span { font-family:Times New Roman; } 
 span.style_Heading1Char1 { font-size:14pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#365F91; } 
.style_Heading1Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#365F91; } 
 span.style_Heading2Char1 { font-size:13pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#4F81BD; } 
.style_Heading2Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#4F81BD; } 
 span.style_Heading3Char1 { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#4F81BD; } 
.style_Heading3Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; color:#4F81BD; } 
 span.style_Heading4Char1 { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#4F81BD; } 
.style_Heading4Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#4F81BD; } 
 span.style_Heading5Char1 { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; color:#243F60; } 
.style_Heading5Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; color:#243F60; } 
 span.style_Heading6Char1 { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#243F60; } 
.style_Heading6Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#243F60; } 
 span.style_Heading7Char1 { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading7Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 span.style_Heading8Char1 { font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading8Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; color:#404040; } 
 span.style_Heading9Char1 { font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
.style_Heading9Char1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#404040; } 
 p.style_Quote { font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; color:#000000; } 
.style_Quote span { font-family:Times New Roman; color:#000000; } 
 span.style_QuoteChar1 { font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
.style_QuoteChar1 span { font-family:Times New Roman; font-style:italic; color:#000000; } 
 span.X3AS7TOCHyperlink { color:#000000; text-decoration:none; } 
 p.X3AS7TABSTYLE { } 
 span.BulletSymbol { font-family:'Symbol'; } 
 body { margin-left:96px;margin-top:96px;margin-bottom:96px;margin-right:96px;} 
div.basic { width:16.51cm;height:22.86cm;} 
 p.hiddenParagraph { font-size:2pt; visibility:hidden; } 
</style>
		<script type="text/javascript">
							var useragent = navigator.userAgent;
							var navigatorname;
							if (useragent.indexOf('MSIE')!= -1)
							{
							navigatorname="MSIE";
							}
							else if (useragent.indexOf('Gecko')!= -1)
							{
							if (useragent.indexOf('Chrome')!= -1)
							navigatorname="Google Chrome";
							else
							navigatorname="Mozilla";
							}
							else if (useragent.indexOf('Mozilla')!= -1)
							{
							navigatorname="old Netscape or Mozilla";
							}
							else if (useragent.indexOf('Opera')!= -1)
							{
							navigatorname="Opera";
							}
							
							function symbol(code1,code2)
							{
							if (navigatorname == 'MSIE')
								document.write(code1);
							else
								document.write(code2);
							}
							</script>
	</head>
	<body xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div class="basic"><div>
				<p style="text-align:center; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">United States of America</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:center; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">1924 Building – Room 2R90, 100 Alabama Street SW</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:center; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3104</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:center; "> </p>
			</div>
			<table style="border-collapse:collapse; width:100%; align:left; margin-left:-.159cm; margin-bottom:0cm">
				<tr style="margin:0;border:0;padding:0;visibility:hidden;">
					<th style="width:318px;"/>
					<th style="width:318px;"/>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:none, 0, inherit; border-right:solid .018cm #000000; border-top:solid .026cm #000000; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Secretary o</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">f Labor</span><span style="text-transform:uppercase;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">,</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:solid .018cm #000000; border-right:none, 0, inherit; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> </span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
				<tr style="height:.826cm; ">
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:none, 0, inherit; border-right:solid .018cm #000000; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Complainant,</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:solid .018cm #000000; border-right:none, 0, inherit; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> </span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:none, 0, inherit; border-right:solid .018cm #000000; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">                        v.</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:solid .018cm #000000; border-right:none, 0, inherit; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
								</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">OSHRC Docket<span>
									</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">No.<span>
									</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">16-1274</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:none, 0, inherit; border-right:solid .018cm #000000; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">T. E. Stevens Company, Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">,</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:solid .018cm #000000; border-right:none, 0, inherit; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
								</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:none, 0, inherit; border-right:solid .018cm #000000; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:solid .026cm #000000; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">           Respondent.</span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
					<td style="vertical-align:top;padding-bottom:.159cm; padding-left:.159cm; padding-right:.159cm; padding-top:.159cm; border-left:solid .018cm #000000; border-right:none, 0, inherit; border-top:none, 0, inherit; border-bottom:none, 0, inherit; width:50%;">
						<div>
							<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> </span></p>
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</table>
			<div>
				<p> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Appearances:  </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">                               </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Emily O. Roberts,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Esquire, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor,</span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Nashville, Tennessee</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">For the Secretary</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Jason A. Stuckey</span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">, Esquire</span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Moses & Moses, P.C., Birmingham, Alabama</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>For the Respondent</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">BEFORE:</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Administrative Law Judge<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Sharon D. Calhoun</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">DECISION AND ORDER</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">T.E. Stevens Company, Inc. (Stevens) is a construction company performing erosion control, grading, storm sewer and other related work in the Birmingham, Alabama area. Two employees of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were driving by Stevens’s worksite in Vestavia, Alabama on April 28, 2016. They stopped and commenced an investigation because they were concerned about the safety of workers who appeared to be in a several foot deep trench. The investigation led to the issuance of a Citation and Notification of Penalty (Citation) for allegedly committing a serious violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1) by permitting employees to work in a trench lacking sufficient cave-in protection.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens timely contested the Citation, bringing the matter<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (Commission) pursuant to section 10(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. § 659(c) (the Act). </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">A hearing was held on February 3, 2017, in Birmingham, Alabama. Both parties filed post-hearing briefs.</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family:Calibri; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">For the following reasons, the Citation is AFFIRMED and a $5,390</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.00</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>penalty is ASSESSED. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">JURISDICTION</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens is a civil construction company operating in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">and around Birmingham, Alabama</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 194)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> It stipulated it is an employer engaged in a business affecting interstate commerce and the Commission has jurisdiction</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 9; Stip. 1-3)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref1" href="#ftn1">1</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Based upon the parties’ stipulations and the record, Stevens is a covered business and the Commission has jurisdiction. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">BACKGROUND</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens’s work includes construction projects relating to sewers, water lines, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">other related utilities<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 21, 194)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Hudson Construction retained Stevens to install drain lines at a construction site for a grocery store in Vestavia, Alabam</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 22, 122, 211)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The drain lines were to be installed in trenches cre</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ated by drilling and blasting<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 185, 211, 234)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> To assist with the blasting work, Stevens hired Atlas Blasting Company (Atlas)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 204, 208, 212)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> After Atlas blasted the area where the trench at issue here was located, Stevens’s employees continued excavating the ground further with a backhoe (Tr. 208, 211-13)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Two employees were working in the completed trench on April 28, 2016, when OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer William Glasscock (CSHO) and Assistant Area Director Hector Julian-Camacho (A</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">AD) drove past the site<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 15, 23, 117-19)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> They stopped to inspect the site pursuant to OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on trenching and excavation</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, which was established to address the risks and accidents associated with this type of work, and requires OSHA employees to conduct inspections whenever they identify excavations</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 15-17, 117-19;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-7)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">During the investigation, the CSHO learned Stevens employed the two workers he</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>had seen in the trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 23-24</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">). </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">One of the workers observed was a laborer and the other was the site superintendent as</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>well as the competent person<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 24)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">In addition to speaking with the two workers seen in the trench, the CSHO and AAD also spoke to a third employee, measured the trench,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and took a soil sample<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 23-29;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>R-</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">9</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> This sample was taken to confirm the stability of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">soil in the trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 29, 128)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The stability of the soil in an excavation impacts the amount of cave-in protection required. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See e.g.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1). </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The excavation standard sets forth a hierarchy of stability for rock and soil going from Stable Rock, to Type A,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">to Type B, to the least stable, Type C. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Testing of the soil at Stevens’s Vestavia worksite confirmed it was “Type B” soil</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref2" href="#ftn2">2</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Stip. 6-7;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-5, C-6; Tr. 29)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">When working in Type B soil, employers generally must take various precautions, as the soil is more prone to collapse than Sta</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ble Rock or Type A soil<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 178-79)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> For example, trenches in Type B soil deeper than five feet must be protected from cave-ins. </span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1). The protection method the employer selects must comply either with § 1926.652(b) or § 1926.652(c).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">. Section 1926.652(c) permits the installation of supports or shields to protect workers from cave-ins, while § 1926.652(b) permits the use of sloping and benching for protection. Stevens alleges it followed § 1926.652(b)’s sloping requirements. (Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">brief</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">,</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>pp.<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">3-4)</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> To be compliant, the slope of the trench at issue here could not exceed a 45-degree angle. Table B-1, App. B. to Sub. P of Pt. 1926.652 (Table B-1);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Stark Excavating, Inc.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC 2215, 2216-17 (No. 09-0004, 2014) (consolidated) (discussing the sloping requirements for excavations in Type B soil),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 811 F.3d 922 (7th Cir. 2016)</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">brief</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">,</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">p.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>2; Stip. 6-9)</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">DISCUSSION</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">To establish a violation of any OSHA standard, the Secretary must prove: (1) the cited standard applies; (2) its terms were violated; (3) employees were exposed to the violative condition; and (4) the employer knew or could have known with the exercise of reasonable diligence of the violative condition. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Astra Pharm. Prods., Inc</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">., 9 BNA OSHC 2126, 2129 (No. 78-6247, 1981),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d in pertinent part</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 681 F.2d 69 (1st Cir. 1982). The Secretary has the burden of proving each of these elements by a preponderance of the evidence. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">According to the Secretary on April 28, 2016, an employee was working in a trench without cave-in protection in violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652. This standard provides:</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(a) </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Protection of employees in excavations.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> (1) Each employee in an excavation shall be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section except when:</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-right:48px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(i) Excavations are made entirely in stable rock; or</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; margin-right:96px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(ii) Excavations are less than 5 feet (1.52m) in depth and examination of the ground by a competent person provides no indication of a potential cave-in.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1). “[T]he provision applies to any excavation, unless the employer shows that the excavation meets one of two exceptions—it was ‘made entirely in stable rock;’ or it was ‘less than 5 feet . . . in depth and examination of the ground by a competent person provides no indication of a potential cave-in.’ ”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Bardav, Inc.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">24 BNA OSHC 2105, 2107 (No. 10-1055, 2014) (quoting 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1)). The standard applies regardless of whether the excavation was actually hazardous. </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">For the reasons set forth below, the standard applies and Stevens failed to show the trench qualified for either of the permissible exceptions to the requirement for cave-in protection. </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Ford Dev. Corp</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">., 15 BNA OSHC 2003, 2010 (No. 90-1505, 1992) (“[T]he party claiming the benefit of an exception bears the burden of proving that its case falls within that exception”),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 16 F.3d 1219 (6th</span><span style="color:#000000; position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Cir. 1994) (unpublished). </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Applicability</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens concedes the trench at its worksite constitutes an excavation within the meaning of the cited standard and therefore the standard</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>applies<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">brief,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">p.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">3)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> It also appears to agree with the Secretary’s view that the excavation was not in stable rock and exceeded five feet in depth</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stip. 6-7; Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">brief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">p.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">11)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The Court agrees these exceptions do not apply.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">Trench Not in Stable Rock</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The cited standard includes an exception for excavations made entirely in stable rock, which is defined as “natural solid mineral matter that can be excavated with vertical sides and remain intact while exposed.” 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1)(i); App. A to Sub. P of Pt. 1926.652-Soil Classification, para. (b),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Stable rock</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">As noted above, testing of the soil sample taken at the worksite confirmed the trench was dug in Type B soil and the parties stipulated the testing results were “accurate, authentic, and admissible” (Stip. 6-7; Tr. 127-29)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">In addition to the testing, by definition, once the soil has been disturbed it can no longer be classified as Stable Rock or Type A soil—</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">it is either Type B or Type C<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 170-71, 178)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> App. A to Sub. P of Pt. 1926-Soil Classification, para. (b),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Type B,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(iii);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Stark Excavating,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">24 BNA OSHC at 2218 (evidence of past utility work in the area showed soil was</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">previously disturbed).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">To create the trench at Stevens’s worksite, Atlas blasted the surface with explosives and then employees used an excavator to finish the work</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 185, 212-13)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Thus, even if the testing had not been completed, the Secretary still would have shown the trench was not in stable rock and therefore the trench did not qualify for the exception to the cave-in protection<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">requirements set forth in 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1)(i)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 170-71, 178-79. 185; Secretary’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, p.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>5)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">KS Energy Servs. LLC v. Solis</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 703 F.3d 367, 369-70 (7th Cir. 2012) (discussing factors which preclude classifying soil as Type A). So, the exception for trenches dug entirely in stable rock does not apply.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">Trench<span>
					</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">Deeper th</span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">an 5 Feet</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">When the AAD and CSHO drove by the site, they could only see the top of two wo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rkers heads in a trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 23, 119;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-4 at 7)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> This led them to believe the trench was deeper than six feet. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> They confirmed this belief during the investigation by using an engineering rod to measure the trench’s depth and finding it to be seven feet and four inches</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 26-27)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Photographs of the engineering rod taken while it was in the trench corroborate</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the witnesses’ testimony</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-1, e-h)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens suggests this measurement could have been incorrect if the AAD held the rod at an angle when he measured the depth</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, pp.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>6-14)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> However, no one disputed the AAD’s testimony about holding the rod as straight as possible</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 141</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The photographs are consistent with this testimony</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-1, e-h)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Further, one of the employees seen in the trench, Tony Pierce, said he was approximately five feet and nine inches tall, which would be consistent with the testimony indicating only the top of his head could be seen in the trench from a distance</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref3" href="#ftn3">3</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 23, 222;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-1b, C-4)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Stevens’s employees witnessed the AAD and CSHO measure the trench and discussed the findings during the inspection</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 127</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> No one questioned or challenged the findings during the inspection. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Finally, Stevens did not introduce evidence of any other measurements taken before, during,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or after the inspection<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 238-3</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">9</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Capeway Roofing Sys. Inc</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">., 20 BNA OSHC 1331, 1342-43 (No. 00-1986, 2003) (party would have provided the evidence had it been helpful). Therefore, because there is no evidence the trench was less than five feet deep, the exception set out in 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1)(ii) does not apply.</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref4" href="#ftn4">4</a></span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Violation</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Having found the standard applies and Stevens did not qualify for either of the exceptions to the requirement to have cave-in protection, the Court turns to whether the slope of the trench was sufficient to protect against cave-ins. When a trench dug in Type B soil is deeper than five feet, its slope cannot exceed 45-degrees</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref5" href="#ftn5">5</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stip. 8-9; Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, p.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">2)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Stark Excavating</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC at 2216, 2218. </span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">To calculate the slope, or angle, of the sides of the trench, the Secretary’s expert, Michael Shea, used the measurements obtained by the AAD and CSHO during their investigation (seven feet, four inches deep and fourteen</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>feet wide)<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-9 at 4</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">). </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">He also considered the estimated measurement of the trench floor in the Expert Report of Jack Cochran, who testified on Stevens’s behalf.</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref6" href="#ftn6">6</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Using these measurements, Shea determined the trench’s slope was 64.5 degrees, which is considerably above the 45-degree maximum the standard permits</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 169;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-9)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Table B-1 n.2. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens does not dispute Shea’s calculations. Instead, it attacks the Secretary’s evidence alleging: (1) the CSHO and the AAD were inexperienced, (2) the measurement of the trench depth could be wrong; (3) the measurement of the trench width at the top could be wrong; (4) the CSHO and AAD did not measure the bottom width of the trench; and (5) the trench did not constitute a hazard</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, pp.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">3-</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">5, 9-16</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> For the reasons discussed below, the Court finds the challenge to capabilities of the CSHO and AAD to be without merit and the challenges to the measurements of the trench to be unsubstantiated. </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:0cm; line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; color:WindowText; padding-right:20px;">1.</span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">Capabilities of the CSHO and AAD<span>
					</span></span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens challenges the experience and training of the two OSHA employees</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>who conducted the inspection<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, p.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>5)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The CSHO has a college engineering degree, over twenty years of work experience, including seven years working in the health group with the Mine Safety and Health Administration</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 14</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> He had been working for OSHA for over a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">year at the time of the inspection and completed extensive training with the agency. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Further, he was accompanied by the AAD who had considerable experience in wor</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">kplace investigations (Tr. 15</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Although Stevens relies on the AAD having been in his position for less than two years, like the CSHO, the AAD also had considerable other relevant experience, including working for OSHA for over six years before being promoted to AAD as well as fifteen years of expe</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rience as a safety consultant (Tr. 117</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Contrary to Stevens’s assertion, the Court finds both the CSHO and AAD have considerable experience in workplace health and safety. Their testimony was corroborated and Stevens fails to establish their level of experience adversely impacted their credibility. </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:0cm; line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; color:WindowText; padding-right:20px;">2.</span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">Trench Depth Was 7 feet and 4 inches</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens takes issue with</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>how the trench was measured<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, p. 1</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">0)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> First, it suggests the depth measurement could have been inaccurate if the AAD held the measuring rod at an angle rather than vertically when he measured the trench depth. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">There is no evidence the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">AAD did this (Tr. 125-26, 141</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Further, as Shea explained, even if the AAD had held the rod flush with the sides of the trench rather than vertically as he said he did, the measurements would still indicate a slope in excess of 45-degree</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">s (Tr. 174</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens repeatedly mischaracterizes Shea’s testimony saying he found the trench to be six feet, four</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>inches deep<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">brief, pp.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>9,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">11</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> To the contrary, Shea explained the trench was essentially a triangle. So, one could calculate the depth even if only the width across the top and length of one angled side was known</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 175, 182)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> For example, if the angled side of the trench was seven feet and four inches long (as opposed to the vertical depth being seven feet and four inches as the Secretary alleges), with a fourteen-foot width the trench’s slope still would not have complied with</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the cited standard (Tr. 174-76</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Thus, even if the Court fully credited Stevens’s unsubstantiated theory that seven feet and four inches was the angled length of the side, the trench was still not sloped appropriately. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Ford</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 15 BNA OSHC at 2010 (affirming a violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.25(a) even though the trench’s exact depth was not established). </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:0cm; line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; color:WindowText; padding-right:20px;">3.</span><span style="font-weight:bold; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">Trench was 14 feet wide at the top</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens also disputes the Secretary’s proof of the trench’s width</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, pp.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">6-7</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The CSHO and AAD both testified they measured the top of the trench and determined it was fourteen feet wide in the area wh</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ere they observed the workers (Tr. 27-28, 123-26</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> However, the Sampling Worksheet, which was prepared a few days after the inspection and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">attached to the soil sample, lists the trench as 21 feet across at its widest point</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-5)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> While the Sampling Worksheet refers to the trench’s widest point, the CSHO and AAD explained the area where they saw the employees was not the widest point of the trench</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 31-32</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> This is consistent with the testimony of Pierce, one of the employees observed in the trench, who acknowledged he had not been exclusively in</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the widest part of the trench (Tr. 241;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-1a-b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Two other documents, the Safety Narrative and the Violation Worksheet, corroborate the AAD and CSHO’s testimony by also specifying the</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>trench was fourteen feet wide (Tr. 111;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-3, C-4</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Further, as noted above, according to the AAD, the fourteen-foot width was discussed during the inspection and was not challenged then</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref7" href="#ftn7">7</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 127)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The photographic evidence further bolsters the evidence of the trench being fourteen</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>feet wide</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-4</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The parties agree the drain pipe had a five-foot diameter</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 166, 286)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> While knowing the size of the drain pipe cannot yield the exact dimensions of the trench, the photographs showing the pipe in the trench support the witnesses’ testimony regarding the width and shape of the trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-4</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> One photograph shows the CSHO’s engineering rod resting on top of the five-foot drain pipe and extending beyond it before reaching the sides of the trench. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Although the photograph’s resolution is not sufficient to see the measurement markings on the rod, in light of the known width of the drain pipe, the photograph is consistent with the witnesses’ recollection and supports the measurements in the Safety Narr</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ative and Violation Worksheet (</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-3, C-4, C-5</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> In addition, the site supervisor acknowledged the trench appeared to be narrower near the dr</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ain pipe and wider at the back (Tr. 242;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-1c</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Accordingly, the use of the fourteen-foot width to calculate the trench’s slope was appropriate.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_Heading31 style_Heading31 " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:0cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1.5; margin-left:48px; text-indent:0cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1.5; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; color:WindowText; padding-right:20px;">1.</span>Width of the Trench at Bottom<span>
				</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The Secretary’s response to a discovery request provided the bottom width of the trench was fourteen feet</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>R-1</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> However, at the hearing, the Secretary did not establish the exact width of the trench floor. The CSHO and AAD acknowledged they did not enter the trench to measure the floor because they were concerned abou</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">t the safety of the excavation (Tr. 148</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> And, the AAD cast doubt on a fourteen-foot width at the bottom when he acknowledged the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">sides of the trench were not completely vertical, as they would need to be if the trench was the same width at the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">top and bottom (Tr. 132</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The Secretary did not need to establish the width of the trench floor, however, because he provided evidence about the depth and width of the trench. Only these two measurements are needed to calculate the s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">lope and establish a violation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 175, 182)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Further, the slope calculated with these two established measurements is consistent with the estimated seven-foot width of the trench floor Stevens’s expert<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">provided in his report<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-9 at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">e</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">x</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">h</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>E; Tr. 165, 286, 298)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The storm drain in the trench had an approximate five-foot diameter and there was about a foot on each side of the drain, which is consistent with the trench being</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>seven feet wide at the bottom</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 36, 166-67, 286;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">1d</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_Heading31 style_Heading31 " style="margin-left:96px; text-indent:0cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1.5; margin-left:48px; text-indent:0cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1.5; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; font-style:normal; color:WindowText; padding-right:20px;">1.</span>Standard does not require proof of a hazard</p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Finally, Stevens argues the trench did not constitute</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>a hazard<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, pp.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">4-5)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Stevens’s expert, Jack Cochran, testified, based on the photographs he saw, the excavation looked like “relatively stable rock” and he did not believe there was a substanti</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">al probability of serious harm (Tr. 289</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> However, the standard applies to any excavation unless one of the two exceptions applies, i.e., the excavation is dug entirely in a material which meets the standard’s definition for stable rock or the depth is less than five feet. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Bardav</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC at 2107-8;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Jim Boyd Constr., Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 26 BNA OSHC 1109, 1110 (No. 11-2559, 2016) (belief there was no hazard did not preclude affirming a violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1)). Cochran acknowledged blasted excavations have irregular sides and it is difficult to predict how material is going to break up when being blasted</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 291</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> He explained the “natural instinct” is for the soil to want to close once it<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">has been cut (Tr. 292</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> He had no firsthand knowledge of the type of soil in the trench at issue here. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Further, he specifically acknowledged the measurements and calculations presented during the hearing were correct, including Shea’s determination that the slope of the trench exceeded the maximum angle the standard permits and he admitted the calculations in his<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">own expert report were in error</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref8" href="#ftn8">8</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> (Tr. 293, 295-96;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-9 at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">e</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">x</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">h</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>E)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Thus, Cochran’s testimony does not undermine finding the excavation violated the cited standard. The Secretary’s evidence of the trench being seven feet, four inches deep and fourteen feet wide is credited over Stevens’s speculation that these measurements could be erroneous. With these dimensions, both the Secretary’s expert and Stevens</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">agree the trench was not adequately sloped. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Accordingly, because the trench was not made entirely in stable rock and was more than five feet deep, Stevens needed to provide sufficient cave-in protection. Stevens failed to provide such protection and so the Secretary established a violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1). </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Employee Exposure to the Violation</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The CSHO and AAD saw and photogra</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">phed two workers in the trench</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 23;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exhs.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-1a, C-1b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">During their investigation, the CSHO and AAD learned one of the workers was Pierce, Stevens</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">’s site supervisor (Tr. 23-24</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> According to the CSHO, he was told the other employee working in the trench was Cody Pierce, another Stevens’ employee.</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref9" href="#ftn9">9</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">At the hearing, Pierce acknowledged he was in the trench but indicated Austin Payne, rather than Cody Pierce, was in the trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">with him<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 221-22)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Since Payne was also a Stevens’ employee, this factual dispute is not outcome determinative. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The Secretary established a supervisor and an employee both were in the trench at the time alleged in the Citation. This is sufficient to show employee exposure.</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref10" href="#ftn10">10</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Bardav</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC at 2108 (evidence that employees were in unprotected excavation established exposure). </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Employer Knowledge of the Violation</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">To establish knowledge, the Secretary must show the Stevens knew, or with the exercise of reasonable diligence, could have known of the violative condition. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See e.g., Revoli Constr. Co.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">19 BNA OSHC 1682, 1684 (No. 00-0315, 2001) (employer had actual and constructive knowledge of a violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a));<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Dun-Par Engineered Form Co.,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>12 BNA OSHC 1962, 1965-66 (No. 82-928, 1986) (finding knowledge when supervisor was nearby and should have known that work would place employee close to the hazard). The site supervisor<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">acknowledged he had been working in the unprotected trench with another employee</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref11" href="#ftn11">11</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 236, 239)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> When the exposed employees include not only the supervisor but also a subordinate employee, the supervisor’s knowledge is imputable</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to the employer.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Empire Roofing Co. SE., LLC</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, No. 16-17309, 2017 WL 4708162, at *3 (11th Cir. Oct. 19, 2017) (imputing knowledge when neither foreman nor subordinates used fall protection);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Quinlan v. Sec’y of Labor,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>813 F.3d 832 (11th Cir. 2016) (imputing supervisor’s knowledge of subordinate employee’s violative conduct). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">In addition to the site supervisor’s actual knowledge, the Secretary also showed constructive knowledge. The trench was in plain view and could have been seen by another supervisor,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Reed Cole<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 129,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">139, 238</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Cole had been at the worksite earlier in the day, before the CSHO and AAD arrived, and he was capable of viewing the trench and its slope then</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 129, 238</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Bardav</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC at 2108 (supervisor’s presence near the trench showed employer knowledge);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Fla. Lemark Corp. v. Sec’y of Labor</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 634 F. App’x. 681, 684-85, 688, 25 BNA OSHC 1825, 1827-28 (11th Cir. 2015) (unpublished) (finding knowledge prong met when the supervisor could have discovered the hazardous condition through reasonable diligence). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Stevens does not deny knowledge of the trench but argues the site supervisor believed the trench com</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">plied the excavation standard<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Stevens’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, p.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>4.) However, belief in the presence of a hazard is not the appropriate test—the Secretary does not have to prove the employer knew the condition constituted a violation. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Revoli,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">19 BNA OSHC at 1684;</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Jim Boyd</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 26 BNA OSHC at 1111 (believing the trench did not pose a hazard did not preclude finding a violation);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Kokosing Constr. Co</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">., 21 BNA OSHC 1629, 1632 (No. 04-1665, 2006) (finding reasonable diligence required further action on the part of the employer),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 232 F. App’x 510 (6th Cir. 2007) (unpublished). It is enough to show the employer failed to engage in reasonable diligence to identify the violative condition. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The site supervisor did not measure the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">trench (Tr. 239</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> He knew the soil had been blasted and was capable of realizing its depth relative to his own height. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Further, the slope of the trench was nearly twenty degrees more than the ma</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ximum<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">allowed for Type B soil (Tr. 48, 89, 169</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> It even exceeded the maximum slope for excavations in more stable Type A soil</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 172</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Thus, whatever the site supervisor’s personal belief about the trench’s compliance, it was not the product of reasonable diligence to determine the trench’s compliance with the cited standard.</span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Affirmative Defenses</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The Secretary met his prima facie burden of showing applicability, violation</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the standard</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, employee exposure to the violative condition and employer knowledge. Although Stevens raised certain affirmative defenses in its Answer, it neither pursued them in its brief nor offered sufficient proof to establish any of them at the hearing. Accordingly, the violation is affirmed. </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Characterization<span>
					</span></span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The Secretary characterizes this Citation item as seriou</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">s (Stip. 5</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> A violation is “serious” if there was a substantial probability death or serious physical harm could have resulted</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>from the violative condition.<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">29 U.S.C. § 666(k). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The trench at issue here was considerably steeper than the maximum allowable slope. (Tr. 169;<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-9)</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Employees working in trenches without appropriate protection<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">face cave-in hazards</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(Tr. 17, 118, 179;</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-7</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> A cave-in can result in broken bones, crush injuries and death. </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The AAD explained OSHA has a national emphasis program on trenching and excavations because of the number of fatalities and accidents associ</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">ated with this type of hazard<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 118-19;<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Exh.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>C-7)</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> OSHA considers the risk serious enough to require inspectors to stop and investigate any time t</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">hey see a trench or excavation (Tr. 15-17</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Likewise, the Commission has previously characterized violations of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">trenching standard as serious.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See e.g., Stark Excavating,<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">24 BNA OSHC at 2224, 2228 (finding one violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a) serious and another one willful);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Mosser Constr. Inc.</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 23 BNA OSHC 1044, 1046 (No. 08-0631, 2010) (rejecting claim that the violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a) was other-than-serious);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Calang Corp.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">14 BNA OSHC 1789, 1794 (No. 85-0319, 1990) (noting trench cave-ins have been “one of the most severe problems in occupational safety”).</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Neither Pierce nor Cochran provided adequate support for their opinion the trench could not result in a serious injury. </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Stark Excavating</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC at 2222 (mistakenly believing trench was dug in Type A soil did not preclude serious characterization for a violation of § 1926.652(a)(1));<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Jim Boyd</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 26 BNA OSHC at 1113 (actions taken to comply with<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">excavation standard did not preclude finding the violation willful). Both seemed to improperly focus on the probability of an accident, rather than on whether death or serious harm would be the probable result if an accident occurred. </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">See Mosser</span><span style="color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, 23 BNA OSHC at 1046 (characterizing a violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a) serious despite expert’s claim that cave-in hazard was not</span><span style="font-family:Times; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; "><span><span></span>
						</span>present with the Type B soil at the worksite). When the focus is directed at what injuries are probable in the event of an accident, the violation is appropriately characterized as serious.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times; font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; font-style:italic; ">See John Carlo, Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; ">, No. 04-1405, 2006 WL 2037376, at *4 (O.S.H.R.C.A.L.J., May 22, 2006) (affirming a violation of 29 C.F.R.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; ">§</span><span style="font-family:Times; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; "> 1926.652(a) as serious due to the cave-in hazard),<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times; font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span style="font-family:Times; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; ">, 234 Fed. Appx. 902 (11th Cir. 2007) (unpublished). </span></p>
			</div>
			<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; ">
				<span style="font-family:Times; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; padding-right:20px;"></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Penalty Amount</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times; ">The Act requires consideration of four factors to determine the penalty: (1) the gravity of the violation; (2)<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">the employer’s size; (3) the employer’s history; and (4) its good faith. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Orion Constr., Inc.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">18 BNA OSHC 1867, 1868-69 (No. 98-2014, 1999). Of these, gravity is generally the most important factor. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">at 1868.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The Secretary proposes a penalty of $5,390</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.00<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">because, despite the violation’s high gravity, Stevens is a small employer and a prior inspection within the last five years did not result in a violatio</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">n (Secretary’s b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">rief</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">, pp.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">15-16</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The Court agrees the gravity of the violation is high—broken bones or death would be the likely resulting injuries in the event of a cave-in and two employees were observed in the unprotected trench. The CSHO indicated the company had 47 employees, however, Stevens’s President, Tom Stevens, testified the comp</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">any had more than 85 employees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 22, 199)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> Stevens history reveals it was previously investigated, but not cited with</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">in the last five years<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">(Tr. 47</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">).</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "> The company had a health and safety policy and the Secretary does not allege a failure to promptly abate.</span><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><a name="ftnref12" href="#ftn12">12</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">After weighing this evidence, with a particular emphasis on the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">gravity, the Court finds $5,390.00<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">to be an appropriate penalty.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:5.333px; margin-bottom:5.333px; line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">The foregoing decision constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions of law in accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(a).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:13.333px; line-height:1.15; page-break-before:page; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "></span> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">ORDER</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Based on the foregoing decision, it is hereby ORDERED:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">Item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">2</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of Citation No. 1, alleging a violation of § 1926.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">652(a)(1</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">), is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">AFFIRMED<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">as serious</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>and a penalty of $5,390.00 is assessed.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; ">SO ORDERED.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:384px; widows:2; orphans:2; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">/s/</span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">
					</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">
					</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">______________________</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Date:</span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>November 13, 2017</span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; ">SHARON D. CALHOUN</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-weight:bold; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span>Administrative Law Judge<span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:336px; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-size:10pt; ">Atlanta, Georgia</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; margin-left:384px; "> </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 class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn1" href="#ftnref1"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">1 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>The parties’ stipulations are set forth in the Joint Pre-Hearing Statement and were made part of the record at the hearing (Tr. 10). </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="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">2 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>The parties stipulated: “[a] soil sample from the excavation which is the subject of the [C]itation was tested and found to be Type B, cohesive soil. OSHA’s laboratory testing results are accurate, authentic, and admissible in this case.” </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="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">3 </span></a><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>Pierce was employed by Stevens at the time of the inspection but was no longer an employee when he testified at the hearing (Tr. 220-21, 238). He indicated he thought the trench was probably “five and half” feet deep (Tr. 228, 239). He acknowledged this was not based on any actual measurements (Tr. 238-39). While the measurements given by the CSHO and seen in the photographs are credited over Pierce’s recollection, the Court notes Pierce did not indicate the trench was less than five feet deep as is necessary to qualify for the exception to the requirement for cave-in protection (Tr. 228). 29 C.F.R.<span>
					</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1)(ii) (limiting the exception to trenches<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">less than</span><span><span></span>
					</span>five-feet deep).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn4" href="#ftnref4"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">4 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>Even if the trench is less than five feet deep, a competent person must sill examine the trench and determine there is no indication of a possible cave-in. 29 C.F.R.<span>
					</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1)(ii). Mr. Pierce did not address whether he determined there was any indication of a possible a cave-in. He explained he<span><span></span>
					</span>“eyeballed” the trench<span><span></span>
					</span>and concluded there was no risk of serious injury or death. (Tr. 235-36.) Because there is no evidence the trench was less than five feet deep, the Court need not address whether Stevens also failed to show a sufficient examination by the competent person.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn5" href="#ftnref5"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:9pt; ">5 </span></a><span style="font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:9pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>As noted above, Stevens does not argue it provided cave-in protection in a manner compliant with<span>
					</span>§<span><span></span>
					</span>1926.652(c). (Stevens’s brief, p.<span><span></span>
					</span>3; Stip. 7). Even if it had made such an argument, the CSHO and the AAD both explained there were no protective supports or shields in the trench (Tr. 32, 119-20). Their testimony is consistent with the photographic evidence and is credited<span>
					</span>(Exh.<span><span></span>
					</span>C-1).<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn6" href="#ftnref6"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">6 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>Knowing this measurement was not critical to determining the trench’s slope<span>
					</span>(Tr. 175, 182). </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="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">7 </span></a><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>Stevens’s also provided the fourteen-foot width dimension to its own expert so he could prepare his report (Tr. 296-99; Exhs. C-9, C-11). Stanley Hallmark, of Atlas, testified they needed to blast the trench at least three feet wide for the portion of the trench where the pipe will be laid (Tr. 210). However, he noted they could not control whether the blasting would result in a wider trench and he did not discuss any measurements of the trench. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">Id. </span>He also acknowledged Stevens’s employees worked on the trench after he completed the blasting work and he did not know the actual dimensions of the trench at the time of the inspection (Tr. 212-13). </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="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">8 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>At one point in his testimony, Cochran said he was “not willing to concede” the trench was fourteen feet wide (Tr. 294). This appears to conflict with an earlier statement acknowledging Shea’s measurements and calculations were correct (Tr. 293). In addition, other than noting the measurement of the trench’s width could be disputed, he provided no other measurements or rational as to why the evidence of the fourteen-foot width should be rejected (Tr. 294). In contrast, the Secretary provided additional support such as photographs and information about the drain pipe’s dimension in support of his view of the trench’s dimensions. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn9" href="#ftnref9"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">9 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>Cody Pierce did not testify.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn10" href="#ftnref10"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">10 </span></a><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>In<span><span></span>
					</span>addition to actual exposure, the record also shows employee access to the violative condition was reasonably predictable. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">See Phoenix Roofing</span>, 17 BNA OSHC 1076, 1079 (No. 90-2148, 1995),<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">aff'd without published opinion</span>, 79 F.3d 1146 (5th Cir. 1996). There is no evidence employees were precluded from entering the trench. Nor is there a claim the work did not require anyone to be in the trench. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn11" href="#ftnref11"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">11 </span></a><span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>In its brief, Stevens did not allege there was any employee misconduct. Nor does the record reflect sufficient evidence to establish this defense. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">See Daniel Int’l v. OSHA,<span>
						</span></span>683 F.2d 361, 364 (11th Cir. 1982) (employer bears the burden of showing employee misconduct caused the violation);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">Schuler-Haas Elec. Corp.,<span>
						</span></span>21 BNA OSHC 1489, 1494 (No. 03-0322, 2006) (discussing the four-part test for unpreventable employee misconduct). Thus, the Secretary may establish employer knowledge by showing two employees knew of the violative condition. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic; ">See Cent. Fla. Equip. Rentals, Inc.</span>, 25 BNA OSHC 2147, 2156 (No. 08-1656, 2016). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; ">
					<a name="ftn12" href="#ftnref12"><span class="style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:11pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">12 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>In its brief, Stevens appears to deny the hazard was abated during the inspection (Stevens’s brief, p.<span>
					</span>16). However, the site supervisor said workers moved dirt around (including with a backhoe), and put gravel along with dirt in the trench (Tr. 233, 244-45). Stevens’s expert also referred to employees taking abatement measures in his report (Exh.<span><span></span>
					</span>C-9 at<span>
					</span>exh.<span>
					</span>E at 2). </p>
			</div></div></body>
</html>