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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">United States of America</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:center; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1120 20th Street, N.W., Ninth Floor</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Washington, DC 20036-3457</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-left:-48px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span></span> </p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; line-height:1; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">SECRETARY OF LABOR,</span></p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; line-height:1; text-indent:1.244cm; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Complainant,</span></p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; line-height:1; text-indent:2.514cm; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">v.</span></p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; line-height:1; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">OSHRC D</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ocket No</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
									</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">20</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">-</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">0786</span></p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; line-height:1; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">PETRONGOLO CONTRACTORS</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, INC.,</span></p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-indent:1.244cm; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Respondent</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">DECISION AND ORDER</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:1; ">APPEARANCES:</p>
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					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>For the Complainant:</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Bertha M. Astorga, Esq.</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Trial Attorney</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>U.S. Department of Labor</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>For the Respondent:</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Michael Metz-Topodas, Esq.</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Cohen, Seglias, Pallas, Greenhall, and Furman, P.C.</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; "> </p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">BEFORE:<span>
					</span><span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>William S. Coleman</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Administrative Law Judge</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; "> </p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Respondent,<span>
					</span>Petrongolo Contractors, Inc. (Petrongolo), is a<span><span></span>
					</span>corporation<span><span></span>
					</span>primarily engaged<span>
					</span>in<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span><span></span>
					</span>business of<span><span></span>
					</span>public<span><span></span>
					</span>utility contracting, much of which<span>
					</span>requires<span>
					</span>creating<span>
					</span>excavations. On<span><span></span>
					</span>January<span><span></span>
					</span>27,<span><span></span>
					</span>2020,<span>
					</span>Petrongolo<span>
					</span>excavated<span><span></span>
					</span>a trench in the street<span>
					</span>in<span><span></span>
					</span>the 4200 block of Adams Avenue<span>
					</span>in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<span><span></span>
					</span>(Adams Site)<span><span></span>
					</span>to access a sewer owned by the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD). PWD had contracted with Petrongolo to reline<span><span></span>
					</span>the sewer<span><span></span>
					</span>for a length of<span>
					</span>about six city blocks in this<span>
					</span>vicinity. Petrongolo subcontracted with another company to do the<span>
					</span>actual<span>
					</span>relining<span><span></span>
					</span>work,<span>
					</span>but before the subcontractor did<span><span></span>
					</span>the relining,<span>
					</span>Petrongolo<span>
					</span>first<span>
					</span>had to<span>
					</span>remove<span><span></span>
					</span>the existing manhole to the sewer and replace<span><span></span>
					</span>it with a larger precast manhole<span>
					</span>so that the<span><span></span>
					</span>subcontractor to<span><span></span>
					</span>access the sewer to<span><span></span>
					</span>do the relining. In preparing the<span>
					</span>site<span>
					</span>for the subcontractor, Petrongolo<span>
					</span>removed the existing manhole and<span>
					</span>dug a trench in the spot where the existing manhole had been located. The<span>
					</span>resulting<span>
					</span>trench was about 10-feet deep<span><span></span>
					</span>from street level<span>
					</span>to the top of the sewer<span><span></span>
					</span>pipe<span><span></span>
					</span>(where the<span><span></span>
					</span>pipe had<span>
					</span>a large<span>
					</span>opening<span><span></span>
					</span>where the<span>
					</span>original<span>
					</span>manhole had connected to the<span>
					</span>pipe). The<span>
					</span>footprint of the<span>
					</span>trench<span>
					</span>at street level<span>
					</span>was about<span>
					</span>10x6 feet.<span>
					</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">A<span><span></span>
					</span>cast iron<span>
					</span>gas main<span><span></span>
					</span>owned by<span>
					</span>Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW)<span><span></span>
					</span>ran parallel to the sewer, at a slightly higher elevation<span><span></span>
					</span>than the sewer and somewhat<span>
					</span>offset so that it was not directly above<span>
					</span>the sewer. PGW received a report<span>
					</span>on January 27, 2020,<span>
					</span>that caused it to be concerned that Petrongolo’s excavation<span>
					</span>had<span><span></span>
					</span>compromised the structural integrity of its gas main. A PGW employee<span><span></span>
					</span>went to the<span>
					</span>Adams Site<span><span></span>
					</span>and caused Petrongolo to stop work<span>
					</span>at the site in the early evening of<span>
					</span>January 27, 2020. </p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">PGW<span>
					</span>contacted<span><span></span>
					</span>the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)<span>
					</span>and reported<span>
					</span>what it believed to be a hazardous<span>
					</span>excavation,<span><span></span>
					</span>and<span><span></span>
					</span>it<span>
					</span>sent to OSHA photographs that its employees had taken of the trench on both the evening of January 27 and<span>
					</span>on<span>
					</span>the morning of January 28. This information<span>
					</span>resulted in OSHA dispatching one of its Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CO)<span>
					</span>to<span><span></span>
					</span>the worksite<span>
					</span>on the<span><span></span>
					</span>morning<span>
					</span>on January 28, 2020, to investigate the report. The CO’s<span><span></span>
					</span>inspection and investigation<span>
					</span>resulted in<span>
					</span>OSHA<span><span></span>
					</span>issuing<span>
					</span>to<span><span></span>
					</span>Petrongolo two one-item Citations.</p>
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			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Citation 1, Item 1 alleges<span><span></span>
					</span>a serious violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(c)(1) for “fail[ing]<span><span></span>
					</span>to obtain the soil type to determine the proper configuration when using timber shoring.” Citation 1 proposed a penalty of $3,393.</p>
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			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Citation 2, Item 1 alleges<span><span></span>
					</span>a repeat violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1) for<span>
					</span>“fail[ing] to ensure that each employee working inside an excavation of approximately twelve (12) feet deep<span>
					</span>were protected by cave-in protection,”<span><span></span>
					</span>and stating further the alleged failure was “[n]oted on or about 28 JAN 2020.” Citation 2 proposed a penalty of $29,687.</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Petrongolo<span>
					</span>timely contested the<span>
					</span>Citations<span><span></span>
					</span>and proposed<span>
					</span>penalties<span><span></span>
					</span>and thereby brought the matter before the<span>
					</span>independent<span>
					</span>Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (Commission) pursuant to section 10(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act). 29 U.S.C. § 659(c). The Commission docketed the matter on<span>
					</span>May 19, 2020. The Secretary<span><span></span>
					</span>of Labor (Secretary)<span><span></span>
					</span>thereafter filed his formal complaint<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>re-alleged<span><span></span>
					</span>the allegations and proposed<span>
					</span>penalties<span><span></span>
					</span>set forth in the<span>
					</span>Citations. The Commission’s Chief Judge assigned the matter to the undersigned<span>
					</span>for hearing and decision. The hearing was conducted<span><span></span>
					</span>remotely<span><span></span>
					</span>via videoconferencing technology<span><span></span>
					</span>on<span>
					</span>March 10–12<span><span></span>
					</span>& 24,<span><span></span>
					</span>2021. Post-hearing briefing was completed on<span>
					</span>June 25, 2021.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The principal issues for decision are as follows:<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:120px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Did the Secretary prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Petrongolo<span>
				</span>failed to obtain the soil type in determining the proper configuration of timber shoring that Petrongolo installed on January 28, 2020? (Citation 1, Item 1;<span>
				</span>§ 1926.652(c)(1)).</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:156px; margin-right:48px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>: No. </p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:120px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Did the Secretary prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Petrongolo employees were<span>
				</span>working in a<span><span></span>
				</span>trench<span><span></span>
				</span>that lacked an adequate protective system<span>
				</span>on January 28, 2020? (Citation 2, Item 1;<span>
				</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1)).</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:156px; margin-right:48px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>: Yes. </p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:120px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Did the Secretary prove by a preponderance of the evidence that<span>
				</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>had knowledge that its employees were<span>
				</span>working in a trench that lacked an adequate protective system<span>
				</span>on January 28? (Citation 2, Item 1;<span>
				</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1)).</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:156.467px; margin-right:48px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>: Yes.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:120px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Did<span>
				</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>rebut the Secretary’s prima facie<span>
				</span>showing<span><span></span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>the<span><span></span>
				</span>violation of § 1926.652(a)(1) was substantially similar to<span>
				</span>Petrongolo’s<span>
				</span>prior<span>
				</span>violations<span><span></span>
				</span>of the same standard<span><span></span>
				</span>for purposes of classifying the violation as a repeat violation? (Citation 2, Item 1;<span>
				</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1)).</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:156.467px; margin-right:48px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>: No. </p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:120px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:48px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>What is the appropriate penalty for the repeat violation of<span>
				</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1)?</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:16px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:156.467px; margin-right:48px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>:<span>
					</span>A penalty of $22,000<span><span></span>
					</span>is assessed.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">For the reasons set forth below,<span><span></span>
					</span>Citation 2, Item 1 is AFFIRMED as a<span>
					</span>REPEAT<span><span></span>
					</span>violation<span><span></span>
					</span>and a penalty of $22,000<span><span></span>
					</span>is assessed. Citation 1, Item 1 is VACATED</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">FINDINGS OF FACT</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Except where the following findings indicate that the evidence was insufficient to establish a certain fact or indicates the absence of evidence bearing on a matter of fact, the following facts were established by at least a preponderance of the evidence:</p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">1.</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>is a corporation<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>engages in public utility construction<span><span></span>
				</span>mainly in the metropolitan area<span><span></span>
				</span>of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (T.<span>
				</span>259-60).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Much of<span>
				</span>Petrongolo’s<span>
				</span>construction activities<span>
				</span>involve<span><span></span>
				</span>sewer reconstruction and<span>
				</span>relining. (T. 259-60). Approximately 80% of Petrongolo’s work<span>
				</span>involves<span><span></span>
				</span>excavations. (T. 260).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">2.</span>The president of<span>
				</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>is<span><span></span>
				</span>Mr.<span>
				</span>Ron Petrongolo.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>His son,<span>
				</span>Mr.<span>
				</span>Dan Petrongolo, is<span>
				</span>a vice<span>
				</span>president.<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref2" href="#ftn2">1</a></span> (T. 258-59, 493-94). Petrongolo employs other workers<span>
				</span>serving<span><span></span>
				</span>as<span>
				</span>foremen, operators, laborers, and truck drivers. (T. 517). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">3.</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>is an employer and is engaged in a business affecting interstate commerce. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(B)(2)).</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">The Adams Site</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and Associated<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Excavation</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">4.</span>The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)<span><span></span>
				</span>contracted with<span><span></span>
				</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>for a<span>
				</span>water main and sewer<span>
				</span>project that included relining<span>
				</span>about six city blocks of<span>
				</span>PWD’s<span><span></span>
				</span>brick sewer<span>
				</span>in the vicinity of<span>
				</span>Adams Avenue<span><span></span>
				</span>in Philadelphia.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 523-24).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>The relining<span><span></span>
				</span>would be accomplished<span>
				</span>by<span>
				</span>injecting<span>
				</span>the existing sewer pipe<span><span></span>
				</span>with resin<span>
				</span>that would line the inner walls of the pipe, essentially<span>
				</span>creating a new<span><span></span>
				</span>resin<span><span></span>
				</span>pipe inside the existing<span>
				</span>brick<span>
				</span>pipe. (T. 525). The entire length of the existing sewer is not excavated to do the relining. Rather, the<span>
				</span>relining<span>
				</span>is<span><span></span>
				</span>done by accessing the<span>
				</span>sewer from a manhole<span><span></span>
				</span>opening. </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">5.</span>Petrongolo subcontracted<span>
				</span>with<span>
				</span>a<span><span></span>
				</span>company<span><span></span>
				</span>named<span><span></span>
				</span>North American Pipe (NA Pipe) to perform the actual<span>
				</span>task of<span>
				</span>relining. (T. 294-95, 299, 525-26, 562). But,<span><span></span>
				</span>because the<span><span></span>
				</span>existing manhole<span>
				</span>on the 4200 block of<span>
				</span>Adams<span>
				</span>Avenue was too narrow for NA Pipe to access the sewer to do<span>
				</span>its work,<span>
				</span>it was necessary for<span>
				</span>Petrongolo<span>
				</span>first<span>
				</span>to<span><span></span>
				</span>remove<span><span></span>
				</span>the existing manhole and the<span>
				</span>surrounding soil<span>
				</span>to create a trench excavation where Petrongolo would then<span>
				</span>install a wider precast reinforced concrete manhole,<span><span></span>
				</span>four feet in diameter,<span><span></span>
				</span>through which NA Pipe<span>
				</span>could then<span>
				</span>access the sewer. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(1); T.<span>
				</span>153-54,<span>
				</span>260-63,<span><span></span>
				</span>284-85,<span><span></span>
				</span>295-97, 524-27;<span><span></span>
				</span>Ex. C-2<span><span></span>
				</span>at<span><span></span>
				</span>3;<span>
				</span>Ex.<span>
				</span>J-8<span><span></span>
				</span>at<span>
				</span>20 & 22). Petrongolo was the only<span>
				</span>contractor<span>
				</span>performing<span><span></span>
				</span>excavation work<span>
				</span>on this<span><span></span>
				</span>trench<span>
				</span>excavation. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(4); T. 88-90, 649-50).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">6.</span>NA Pipe did not perform any excavation work at the Adams Site and would not begin the work of relining the sewer until after Petrongolo had completed preparations for it to begin work. (T. 564). Petrongolo had<span>
				</span>also<span>
				</span>subcontracted with a paving subcontractor and a plumber<span><span></span>
				</span>subcontractor, but neither of them performed excavation work. (T. 562, 564).</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Events on January 27, 2020</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">7.</span>On January 27, 2020, Petrongolo created a trench excavation at the location of the existing manhole down to the existing sewer by removing the existing manhole and the soil around<span>
				</span>it. The upper portion of the sewer<span>
				</span>pipe<span>
				</span>had an opening where the original manhole had connected to the<span>
				</span>pipe<span><span></span>
				</span>and where the new manhole would connect. (T. 260, 524-25). The trench was about 10-feet deep from street level to the top of the sewer pipe.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>The trench’s footprint at street level was about 10x6 feet. The walls of the trench were vertical or near vertical. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(1)<span><span></span>
				</span>&<span><span></span>
				</span>(2); T. 153-54,<span>
				</span>182-83,<span>
				</span>230-33,<span>
				</span>260-63,<span>
				</span>284-85,<span>
				</span>523-24, Ex. J-8<span><span></span>
				</span>at<span><span></span>
				</span>29 & 30). (The<span>
				</span>trench and the<span>
				</span>area<span>
				</span>in<span>
				</span>its<span><span></span>
				</span>immediate vicinity<span><span></span>
				</span>in the 4200 block of Adams Avenue are accurately<span>
				</span>depicted in photographs<span>
				</span>in Exhibits C-1, C-2,<span><span></span>
				</span>and J-8.)<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">8.</span>Ron Petrongolo<span>
				</span>was present at the Adams Site for the duration of Petrongolo’s work activity on January 27, 2020, serving as foreman of the Petrongolo crew. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(3); T. 260-61, 273-74).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">9.</span>Petrongolo had its backhoe at the Adams Site,<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>Ron Petrongolo operated<span>
				</span>it to<span>
				</span>remove the existing manhole and create the trench<span><span></span>
				</span>excavation. (T. 44, 52-53, 262-64, 296-97, 328,<span><span></span>
				</span>336-38; Ex. C-2 p.3).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">10.</span>The<span>
				</span>excavation exposed<span>
				</span>a<span>
				</span>segment of a cast iron<span><span></span>
				</span>gas main<span><span></span>
				</span>owned by PGW<span><span></span>
				</span>that ran parallel to the sewer at a depth slightly above<span>
				</span>and to the side of it. (T. 40-41, 44, 90-91, 121-22, 603-06; Ex. C-2 pp. 1 & 2). The exposed<span><span></span>
				</span>segment of the<span>
				</span>gas<span><span></span>
				</span>main<span>
				</span>had<span><span></span>
				</span>no soil underneath it to provide support. (T. 40-41, 91, 130-32, 604-05; Ex. C-2, pp. 1 & 2). This<span>
				</span>potentially<span>
				</span>could have<span>
				</span>led to<span><span></span>
				</span>the gas main fracturing<span><span></span>
				</span>and leaking<span><span></span>
				</span>gas. (T. 40-41, 603-06, 633-34).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">11.</span>Sometime<span>
				</span>after Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>started digging the trench,<span>
				</span>PGW<span>
				</span>received a report that its gas main<span>
				</span>may have become exposed and its structural integrity compromised by the excavation<span>
				</span>activity. (T. 40-41, 90, 603-06). PGW dispatched Mr.<span>
				</span>Anthony Pereira,<span>
				</span>who was<span>
				</span>a<span>
				</span>Distribution Maintenance Supervisor<span><span></span>
				</span>for PGW,<span><span></span>
				</span>to<span><span></span>
				</span>investigate<span><span></span>
				</span>and inspect the condition of the gas main. He arrived<span>
				</span>at the Adams Site about 6:00 p.m.<span><span></span>
				</span>and remained on site until about<span>
				</span>12:30 a.m.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 40-41,<span>
				</span>43, 56). While there,<span><span></span>
				</span>he took photos of the trench and the Adams Site<span><span></span>
				</span>that are included in Exhibit C-2 and that accurately<span>
				</span>depict<span>
				</span>the condition of the trench<span>
				</span>at the time he took the photos. (T. 46-53; Ex. C-2). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">12.</span>Around 8:30 p.m.<span>
				</span>on<span><span></span>
				</span>January 27, another PGW employee,<span><span></span>
				</span>Mr.<span><span></span>
				</span>Brian Eckroade,<span>
				</span>who is an Area Supervisor<span><span></span>
				</span>in PGW’s Maintenance Department,<span>
				</span>also<span>
				</span>arrived at<span><span></span>
				</span>the Adams Site, and he remained at the site until about 11:30 p.m. (T.<span>
				</span>82,<span>
				</span>90, 92). Messrs. Pereira and Eckroade discussed<span>
				</span>having PGW<span>
				</span>workers<span>
				</span>returning to the<span>
				</span>vicinity of the<span>
				</span>Adams Site the next day to<span>
				</span>oversee a<span>
				</span>“cut and cap” on the<span>
				</span>gas main<span><span></span>
				</span>because of continued concerns that the excavation activity<span>
				</span>could cause the gas main to fracture and leak<span>
				</span>gas.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 91-92). A cut and cap operation would<span>
				</span>have the effect of<span><span></span>
				</span>bypassing<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>exposed gas main in the trench. This would be done by cutting and then capping the gas main at two<span>
				</span>places on<span>
				</span>opposite sides of the<span>
				</span>excavation<span><span></span>
				</span>to divert<span>
				</span>the flow of<span>
				</span>gas<span>
				</span>around<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>segment<span><span></span>
				</span>of the gas main<span><span></span>
				</span>that was exposed in the trench. (T.<span><span></span>
				</span>91-92).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">13.</span>Pereira asked<span><span></span>
				</span>either Ron Petrongolo<span>
				</span>directly or through<span><span></span>
				</span>an official of PWD for Petrongolo to stop work<span>
				</span>that evening. Petrongolo complied. Ron Petrongolo<span>
				</span>used Petrongolo’s backhoe to cover the unprotected trench excavation with steel plates, and the Petrongolo crew departed the Adams Site sometime later that night.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T.<span>
				</span>43, 45-46,<span>
				</span>286, 329-31, 336-38; Ex. J-8, p. 20). </p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Events on January 28, 2020</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">14.</span>On the morning of January 28, 2020, Ron Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>led a crew of four other<span>
				</span>Petrongolo workers<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>returned to the Adams Site to continue work. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(2); T. 299-301). The other four workers were Luis Ortiz, Cesar Rosario, Luis Morales, and<span>
				</span>Dan Rosario.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(Ex. C-3).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">15.</span>Mr. Eckroade of PGW<span>
				</span>returned to the Adams Site<span><span></span>
				</span>around<span>
				</span>7:00 a.m.,<span><span></span>
				</span>and another PGW official, Mr. Steve Westergon,<span>
				</span>who was a<span>
				</span>Distribution<span>
				</span>Maintenance Supervisor,<span>
				</span>arrived<span>
				</span>about the same time, both to oversee PGW’s cut and cap operation. (T. 96-98,<span>
				</span>118-19,<span>
				</span>121). There is no direct evidence of the precise locations along the gas main<span>
				</span>where<span>
				</span>PGW<span>
				</span>performed its<span>
				</span>cut and cap<span>
				</span>operation, but<span>
				</span>Petrongolo’s Daily Report for January 28, which Ron Petrongolo prepared,<span>
				</span>suggests that it was<span>
				</span>done at<span><span></span>
				</span>both<span><span></span>
				</span>ends<span><span></span>
				</span>of the 4200 block of Adams Avenue, with one cut being done where Adams Avenue intersects<span>
				</span>Church Street, and the other cut being done where Adams Avenue intersects Ruan Avenue, with both cuts requiring that PGW<span>
				</span>create<span>
				</span>excavations. (Ex. R25;<span><span></span>
				</span>Ex. J-8 at 1 and<span>
				</span>9<span><span></span>
				</span>[Bates 189]<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; T. 158</span>).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>The<span><span></span>
				</span>linear<span>
				</span>distance between these two intersections is about 320 feet.<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref3" href="#ftn3">2</a></span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">16.</span>Ron Petrongolo used Petrongolo’s backhoe to remove the steel plates that he had put over the unprotected trench the night before. Around<span>
				</span>7:30 a.m.<span>
				</span>or<span><span></span>
				</span>8:00 a.m.,<span>
				</span>as both<span>
				</span>Eckroade and<span>
				</span>Westergon<span><span></span>
				</span>moved<span>
				</span>between the two cut and cap locations<span><span></span>
				</span>and passed by Petrongolo’s trench, they<span><span></span>
				</span>observed two workers in the<span><span></span>
				</span>unprotected trench standing on<span><span></span>
				</span>wood<span>
				</span>boards that had been<span>
				</span>arrayed<span>
				</span>side by side<span>
				</span>about six feet down<span><span></span>
				</span>inside the<span>
				</span>trench<span><span></span>
				</span>to<span>
				</span>create<span><span></span>
				</span>a work platform<span><span></span>
				</span>for them<span>
				</span>to stand on. (The number of<span>
				</span>wood<span>
				</span>boards constituting the work platform varies<span><span></span>
				</span>between four and six<span>
				</span>in the<span>
				</span>thirteen photos in Exhibit C-1, depending apparently on the progress of the work<span>
				</span>that was<span>
				</span>being done<span>
				</span>while the photos were being taken.) The workers were<span><span></span>
				</span>seen<span>
				</span>installing<span>
				</span>two 2x6 boards<span>
				</span>vertically against the<span><span></span>
				</span>walls<span><span></span>
				</span>of<span>
				</span>opposite<span>
				</span>sides<span><span></span>
				</span>of the trench and<span><span></span>
				</span>placing a<span>
				</span>metal jack-pipe<span>
				</span>in between the boards<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>appeared to<span>
				</span>serve as a cross-brace<span><span></span>
				</span>supporting<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>two<span>
				</span>vertical boards. The jack-pipe<span><span></span>
				</span>spanned the width of the trench about one foot above the wood<span>
				</span>boards<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span><span></span>
				</span>workers were<span>
				</span>standing on.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>A ladder was inside the trench which appears to have provided the workers the means of<span>
				</span>ingress and egress. The ladder appears also to be the same type of ladder in color and material as the ladder that<span>
				</span>Petrongolo<span>
				</span>had<span>
				</span>put in the same trench<span>
				</span>the night before<span><span></span>
				</span>as reflected in the photos in Exhibit C-2.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Eckroade took<span>
				</span>thirteen<span>
				</span>photographs of the workers doing this<span>
				</span>work<span><span></span>
				</span>inside the unprotected excavation<span><span></span>
				</span>at around 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on January<span>
				</span>28.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Those photographs accurately depict the condition of the trench when taken<span><span></span>
				</span>and were received in evidence at Exhibit C-1. The faces of the two workers<span><span></span>
				</span>inside<span>
				</span>the trench<span><span></span>
				</span>are not captured in any of the photographs.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Some of the photographs show the<span>
				</span>lower<span>
				</span>arms<span>
				</span>or the<span>
				</span>lower legs of at least one other worker<span><span></span>
				</span>(or<span>
				</span>possibly two different workers)<span><span></span>
				</span>who<span>
				</span>was<span><span></span>
				</span>(or were)<span><span></span>
				</span>outside the<span>
				</span>trench. The<span>
				</span>two<span>
				</span>workers<span>
				</span>inside the trench<span>
				</span>depicted in the photographs<span>
				</span>are accurately depicted working inside<span>
				</span>an<span><span></span>
				</span>excavation that was<span>
				</span>deeper than five feet<span>
				</span>and that<span>
				</span>lacked an<span><span></span>
				</span>adequate protective<span>
				</span>system to protect them from a cave-in. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶¶ IV(A)(1)-(4); T. 97-106,<span><span></span>
				</span>110,<span><span></span>
				</span>11213, 121-24,<span>
				</span>143-44,<span>
				</span>147-48, 161, 163-64, 219-20, 227-28, 270-74, 279-80,<span><span></span>
				</span>299-301,<span><span></span>
				</span>313-22,<span>
				</span>338,<span>
				</span>561-64,<span><span></span>
				</span>577-78,<span><span></span>
				</span>649-52, 699-701; Exs. C-1, C-3, R-25).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">17.</span>Westergon was present when Eckroade took the photographs<span><span></span>
				</span>in Exhibit C-1. (T. 125). Westergon observed<span><span></span>
				</span>and heard<span><span></span>
				</span>Ron Petrongolo give oral instructions to<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>workers<span><span></span>
				</span>while the workers were<span><span></span>
				</span>inside<span><span></span>
				</span>the trench<span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>when<span>
				</span>the trench<span><span></span>
				</span>lacked<span><span></span>
				</span>an adequate protective system to protect the<span><span></span>
				</span>workers<span><span></span>
				</span>from cave-ins. (T.<span>
				</span>123-24, 138-41, 143-44).<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>These<span><span></span>
				</span>workers<span>
				</span>were Petrongolo employees. There is no evidence that<span>
				</span>employees of any employer other than Petrongolo would have reason to enter the unprotected trench<span><span></span>
				</span>to begin installing timber shoring in the trench. </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">18.</span>The<span>
				</span>workers<span><span></span>
				</span>in the<span>
				</span>unprotected<span>
				</span>trench were not PGW employees. The<span><span></span>
				</span>two PGW supervisors<span>
				</span>(Eckroade and Westergon)<span>
				</span>who observed the workers in the trench were familiar with<span>
				</span>excavation safety<span><span></span>
				</span>and recognized the<span>
				</span>unprotected<span>
				</span>trench was a hazard. They<span><span></span>
				</span>would not allow PGW employees<span><span></span>
				</span>to enter<span><span></span>
				</span>the unprotected trench. (T. 84-85, 99-100, 124, 146-47). One of the<span><span></span>
				</span>PGW supervisors<span>
				</span>(Westergon) admonished<span><span></span>
				</span>Ron Petrongolo that workers<span>
				</span>ought not enter the unprotected trench. (T.<span><span></span>
				</span>123, 137). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">19.</span>The workers in the unprotected trench were not<span>
				</span>employees of any of Petrongolo’s subcontractors (NA Pipe, or<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>plumbing<span>
				</span>or<span><span></span>
				</span>paving subcontractors) in that none of<span>
				</span>Petrongolo’s<span>
				</span>subcontractors did excavation work and none had reason to<span>
				</span>direct<span>
				</span>employees<span>
				</span>to enter the unprotected trench to begin to install timber shoring. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(4); T. 562-64).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">20.</span>Sometime after Eckroade took photos<span><span></span>
				</span>of the trench, Ron Petrongolo directed Petrongolo<span>
				</span>employees in<span>
				</span>completing<span>
				</span>the installation of timber shoring in the trench. The day before, Ron Petrongolo<span><span></span>
				</span>had<span><span></span>
				</span>assessed the<span>
				</span>trench’s<span>
				</span>soil<span><span></span>
				</span>type<span><span></span>
				</span>by performing a visual examination of the soil. (T. 268-70). He also performed a manual test by picking up a sample of the soil and rolling it around between his fingers. (T. 266). He<span><span></span>
				</span>found the soil type “inconsistent” and concluded it was probably not composed of a single type of soil. (T. 306-308, 341-43, 702). This led Ron Petrongolo<span>
				</span>reasonably<span>
				</span>to classify the soil as Type C, which is the least stable soil type.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 306-308, 341-43, 682-83, 702).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">21.</span>Sometime after 8:00 a.m.<span><span></span>
				</span>(when<span>
				</span>Eckroade took the photographs at Exhibit C-1) and before noon,<span><span></span>
				</span>Petrongolo workers supervised by Ron Petrongolo completed installing<span>
				</span>timber shoring in the trench. (T. 265,<span>
				</span>302,<span><span></span>
				</span>697-700;<span>
				</span>Ex. J-8). There is no evidence that any workers were inside<span><span></span>
				</span>the unprotected trench<span>
				</span>while completing the installation of<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>timber shoring<span><span></span>
				</span>except for the<span>
				</span>photographs received in evidence at Exhibit C-1. After the<span>
				</span>timber shoring<span>
				</span>was<span>
				</span>completely<span>
				</span>installed, it<span>
				</span>constituted an<span>
				</span>adequate<span>
				</span>protective system to protect workers from cave-ins.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T.<span>
				</span>436-37, 445).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">22.</span>Petrongolo’s<span><span></span>
				</span>“Daily Report”<span>
				</span>that Ron Petrongolo<span>
				</span>prepared<span>
				</span>to record<span>
				</span>Petrongolo’s activity<span>
				</span>at the Adams Site<span><span></span>
				</span>on<span>
				</span>January 28,<span>
				</span>2020,<span><span></span>
				</span>indicates that<span>
				</span>PGW completed its cut and cap operation at about 7:00 p.m.<span>
				</span>that day,<span><span></span>
				</span>after which PGW<span>
				</span>cleared<span>
				</span>Petrongolo to<span>
				</span>proceed<span><span></span>
				</span>with the sewer relining. (Ex. R. 25).<span>
				</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">OSHA’s Inspection and Citation</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">23.</span>In response to<span>
				</span>PGW’s<span><span></span>
				</span>report<span>
				</span>to OSHA<span>
				</span>of a hazardous excavation<span><span></span>
				</span>at the Adams Site,<span>
				</span>OSHA<span>
				</span>dispatched a<span>
				</span>Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CO) to the Adams Site to<span>
				</span>conduct<span><span></span>
				</span>an inspection. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(6); T. 154-57, 204-07; Ex. J-7).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">24.</span>The CO arrived<span><span></span>
				</span>at the Adams Site<span>
				</span>on the<span>
				</span>morning<span><span></span>
				</span>on January 28, 2020,<span>
				</span>and by the time he arrived<span>
				</span>the Petrongolo<span>
				</span>crew<span><span></span>
				</span>had completed installing the timber shoring in the trench<span><span></span>
				</span>and had departed the Adams Site.<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref4" href="#ftn4">3</a></span> (T.<span>
				</span>158,<span>
				</span>179-82, 242-50, 445-46; Ex. J-8 pp. 3-14, 16, 19, 21, 24-25, 29-30). Sometime<span>
				</span>during his inspection,<span>
				</span>in late morning or early afternoon,<span>
				</span>Dan Petrongolo arrived at the Adams Site<span><span></span>
				</span>and met the CO. (T. 530).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Ron Petrongolo returned to the site<span><span></span>
				</span>sometime after Dan arrived, and the CO<span><span></span>
				</span>spoke to<span>
				</span>both<span><span></span>
				</span>at the same time. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(8);<span>
				</span>T.<span>
				</span>158-59,<span><span></span>
				</span>184,<span>
				</span>274-75,<span>
				</span>528-30).<span>
				</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">DISCUSSION</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Commission obtained jurisdiction under section 10(c) of the Act upon<span>
					</span>Petrongolo’s timely filing of a notice of contest. 29 U.S.C. § 659(c). Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>has employees and is engaged in a business affecting commerce, and thus meets the Act’s definition of “employer.” 29 U.S.C. § 652(5); (Finding of Fact ¶<span><span></span>
					</span>3).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Both Citations<span>
					</span>allege violations of<span>
					</span>safety standards promulgated<span>
					</span>pursuant to section<span>
					</span>6(b)<span><span></span>
					</span>of the Act. 29 U.S.C. § 655(b). To establish a violation of<span>
					</span>such a standard, the Secretary must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that: (1) the cited standard applies; (2) there was noncompliance with its terms; (3) employees had access to the violative condition; and (4) the cited employer had actual or constructive knowledge of the violative condition. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Donahue Indus. Inc.,</span><span><span></span>
					</span>20 BNA OSHC 1346, 1348 (No. 99-0191, 2003).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:normal; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Alleged Ins</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ufficiency of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Petrongolo’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Type C<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Soil<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">D</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">etermination</span><span style="font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;"><br/></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Serious<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Citation 1, Item 1 – Section 1926.652(c)(1</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">)</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Citation 1, Item 1 alleges a violation of § 1926.652(c)(1), which provides in relevant part that “[d]esigns for timber shoring in trenches shall be determined in accordance with the conditions and requirements set forth in appendices A and C to this subpart.” </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Appendix A<span><span></span>
					</span>is<span>
					</span>titled<span><span></span>
					</span>“Soil Classification,”<span><span></span>
					</span>and its<span>
					</span>“scope” provision states:<span>
					</span>“This appendix<span>
					</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">describes a method of classifying soil and rock deposits based on site and environmental conditions, and on the structure and composition of the earth deposits.<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The appendix contains definitions, sets forth requirements, and describes acceptable visual and manual tests for use in classifying soils.” </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Appendix C is titled “Timber Shoring for Trenches</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” and its</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>“scope” provision<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">states</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in part</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; margin-right:48px; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This appendix<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">contains information that can be used<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">[when]<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">timber shoring is provided as a method of protection from cave-ins in trenches that do not exceed 20<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">feet<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">...</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in depth.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This appendix must be used</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">when design of timber shoring protective</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">systems is to be performed in accordance</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">with §</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1926.652(c)(1).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Citation 1, Item 1 alleges that Petrongolo violated § 1926.652(c)(1) by “fail[ing] to obtain the soil type to determine the proper configuration when using timber shoring.”<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref5" href="#ftn5">4</a></span>
				</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">T<span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">cited<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">standard appl</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ies</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to the Adams S</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ite</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>trench excavation</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo does not contend otherwise. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span><span></span>
					</span>§ 1926.650(a) (“<span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This subpart applies to all open</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavations</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">made in the earth’s surface.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Excavations</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">are defined to include trenches”)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; § 1926</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.650(b)<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">defining<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the terms “</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">trench</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” and “trench excavation</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">narrow excavation (in relation to its</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">length)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” that<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is generally deeper than it is wide</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>but</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>not wider than<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">15 feet</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Appendix A<span>
					</span>establishes four soil classifications:<span>
					</span>Stable Rock,<span><span></span>
					</span>and<span>
					</span>Types<span><span></span>
					</span>A, B, and C<span><span></span>
					</span>soil. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span>29 C.F.R. § 1926, Subpt. P, app. A<span><span></span>
					</span>¶<span><span></span>
					</span>(b). Type C<span>
					</span>is the least stable soil type. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span>App. A (b);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span>(T. 306-07, 682-83). The use of design data in Appendix C is dependent on the soil classification that is determined<span>
					</span>according to the criteria set forth in<span>
					</span>Appendix A. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Appendix C, ¶ (b) (providing that “[i]n order to use the data presented in this appendix [C], the soil type or<span>
					</span>types in which the excavation is made must first be determined using the soil classification method set forth in appendix A”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Appendix A<span><span></span>
					</span>requires<span>
					</span>a competent person to perform at least one visual and one manual test on the soil to determine<span>
					</span>the soil<span><span></span>
					</span>type. App. A<span><span></span>
					</span>¶<span><span></span>
					</span>(c)(2). The<span>
					</span>appendix sets forth a series of “[a]cceptable visual and manual tests”<span><span></span>
					</span>and provides also<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>a<span>
					</span>competent person may rely on other<span>
					</span>recognized<span>
					</span>methods<span>
					</span>of testing as well. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(“Such [visual and manual] analyses shall be conducted by a competent person using tests described in paragraph (d) below, or in other recognized methods of soil classification and testing such as those adopted by the America Society for Testing Materials, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture textural classification system.”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The preponderant evidence<span>
					</span>established that<span>
					</span>Ron Petrongolo, who is<span>
					</span>a<span><span></span>
					</span>registered professional<span>
					</span>engineer with<span>
					</span>years of experience<span>
					</span>in testing soil and<span>
					</span>performing excavations<span><span></span>
					</span>in the Philadelphia area,<span><span></span>
					</span>is<span>
					</span>a “competent person” as defined in § 1926.650(b).<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref6" href="#ftn6">5</a></span><span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(T. 289-93). The Secretary recognizes as much. (Sec’y Br. 6-7). Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>performed at least one manual and one visual test of the soil at the Adams Site in conformance with the requirements of Appendix<span>
					</span>A. (Findings of Fact ¶<span>
					</span>20). These tests<span>
					</span>and other relevant information available to him<span>
					</span>caused him reasonably to conclude<span>
					</span>that the timber shoring design<span>
					</span>for the trench’s timber shoring<span>
					</span>must be adequate for<span>
					</span>Type C<span><span></span>
					</span>soil. (T. 306-08, 341-43).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Even if Ron Petrongolo had failed to conduct the visual and manual tests<span>
					</span>required by Appendix A, it would not have mattered, because his determination that the soil was Type C<span>
					</span>rendered any<span>
					</span>soil testing superfluous and thus not required. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">OSHA Interpretation Letter,<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“Testing of type C soil is not necessary if employees are adequately protected,” (June 5, 1991)<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(stating that “</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">soil testing would be superfluous and not required</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” if soil is classified as Type C and the protective system is adequate to protect against cave-ins in Type C soil);</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#333333; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span>T. 306-308, 682-83). The Secretary makes no argument that this<span>
					</span>1991<span>
					</span>letter of interpretation, which is published on OSHA’s public website, does not accurately<span>
					</span>represent<span><span></span>
					</span>current OSHA policy respecting the need to test soil<span>
					</span>in the manners<span><span></span>
					</span>specified<span>
					</span>by Appendix A where that soil is regarded to be<span>
					</span>Type C<span><span></span>
					</span>soil.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Secretary<span>
					</span>did not<span><span></span>
					</span>establish that<span>
					</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>failed to comply with<span><span></span>
					</span>§ 1926.652(c)(1)<span>
					</span>in the manner<span>
					</span>alleged in Citation 1, Item 1, and accordingly<span><span></span>
					</span>that citation item<span><span></span>
					</span>must be vacated.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:normal; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Alleged<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">F</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ailure to Provide<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Adequate Protecti</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ve</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span>System</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><br/></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Repeat<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Citation 2, Item 1 – Section 1926.652(a)(1)</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Citation 2, Item 1 alleges a violation of<span><span></span>
					</span>§ 1926.652(a)(1), which provides in relevant part that “[e]ach 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 ...<span><span></span>
					</span>.” Citation 2, Item 1 alleges that Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>violated this section because it “failed to ensure that each employee working inside an excavation of approximately twelve (12) feet deep were protected by cave-in protection.”<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">T<span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">cited<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">standard appl</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ies</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to the trench excavatio</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">n</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for the same reasons the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">excavations<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">standard applied to</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Citation 1, Item 1</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. Petrongolo does not contend otherwise.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Alleged<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Violation on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">January 27, 2020</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">This decision adjudicates only whether Petrongolo<span>
					</span>employees<span><span></span>
					</span>were exposed to the violative condition on January 28, 2020, when the PGW officials<span><span></span>
					</span>observed and took photographs of workers in the unprotected excavation<span>
					</span>who appear to have begun<span>
					</span>installing<span><span></span>
					</span>timber shoring as depicted in the photographs in Exhibit C-1.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">The Secretary argues that the evidence established employee exposure to an unprotected trench on<span>
					</span>the evening of<span>
					</span>January 27, 2020,<span>
					</span>as<span>
					</span>Mr. Pereira<span>
					</span>of PGW<span><span></span>
					</span>testified<span>
					</span>he<span>
					</span>had<span>
					</span>observed. This argument is not considered because the<span>
					</span>Citation<span>
					</span>identifies the<span>
					</span>next day, January 28, as the “on or about” date of the violation<span><span></span>
					</span>(not on or about January 27<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">and</span><span><span></span>
					</span>January 28). Moreover, the<span>
					</span>assistant area director of the<span>
					</span>OSHA area<span>
					</span>office that issued the citation testified that the citation item was<span>
					</span>not grounded<span>
					</span>upon<span><span></span>
					</span>any claimed worker exposure on<span><span></span>
					</span>January 27, 2020, but rather was based on the<span><span></span>
					</span>near conclusive<span>
					</span>photographs of worker exposure<span>
					</span>that were<span>
					</span>taken<span>
					</span>on the morning of January 28. (T.<span>
					</span>418-24; Ex. C-1). The issue of whether the Petrongolo violated the cited standard on January 27 will not be adjudicated because the scope of the alleged violation is<span>
					</span>limited to whether Petrongolo<span>
					</span>violated the cited standard on January 28, not January 27, and the<span><span></span>
					</span>unpleaded issue<span><span></span>
					</span>of whether a separate violation occurred on January 27<span><span></span>
					</span>was not tried by consent. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">McWilliams Forge Co., Inc.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 11 BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at 2129. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">The imprecise<span>
					</span>and somewhat<span>
					</span>unfocused<span><span></span>
					</span>evidence as to employee exposure on<span><span></span>
					</span>the evening of<span><span></span>
					</span>January 27 is further indicative that<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span><span></span>
					</span>parties did not try<span>
					</span>that issue by consent. While Mr. Pereira testified<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span><span></span>
					</span>he observed workers in the unprotected trench, he took no photographs of that violative conduct, although he did take<span><span></span>
					</span>photographs of the<span>
					</span>empty trench and PGW’s exposed gas main therein. (Ex. C-2;<span>
					</span>T.<span>
					</span>44-45, 80).<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Mr. Pereira’s testimony did not squarely controvert Ron Petrongolo’s testimony that Petrongolo employees entered the trench on January 27 only when<span>
					</span>they were inside<span>
					</span>the precast concrete manhole that Ron Petrongolo had<span>
					</span>temporarily placed<span>
					</span>in the excavation<span><span></span>
					</span>on January 27. Rather, Pereira at least partially corroborated<span>
					</span>Ron Petrongolo’s<span><span></span>
					</span>account—Pereira testified that<span><span></span>
					</span>employees were in the trench at the same time the manhole was in the trench. (T. 44-45 & 79-80). With respect to the adequacy of the manhole to protect the workers from cave-ins,<span>
					</span>the Secretary presented no<span>
					</span>testimony respecting<span>
					</span>how or why<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>asserted<span>
					</span>method<span>
					</span>was noncompliant. In his closing briefs, the Secretary makes<span>
					</span>no argument that the use of the manhole for providing cave-in protection in the manner that Ron Petrongolo claimed was non-compliant with the cited standard. (<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Sec’y Reply Br. 2-3). The adequacy of the<span><span></span>
					</span>cavein<span><span></span>
					</span>protection<span><span></span>
					</span>that the<span>
					</span>concrete<span>
					</span>manhole provided the workers in the trench on January 27 is similarly not<span>
					</span>adjudicated.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:normal; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Alleged<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Violation</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">January 28, 2020</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "> </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">On January 28, 2020, the trench<span><span></span>
					</span>was<span>
					</span>well over five feet deep<span>
					</span>and thus constituted a hazard<span><span></span>
					</span>for so long as it<span>
					</span>was open and<span>
					</span>lacked an adequate protective system. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Flint Eng’g & Constr. Co.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC 2052,<span><span></span>
					</span>2055<span><span></span>
					</span>n.8 (No. 90-2873, 1992) (rejecting cited employer’s argument that an unprotected trench was not<span>
					</span>a hazard so long as employees were not<span>
					</span>in the trench, concluding<span><span></span>
					</span>instead<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>“[t]he open trench was the hazard”). Accordingly, the open trench was non-compliant with the cited standard on January 28, 2020,<span><span></span>
					</span>from the time that Ron Petrongolo removed the steel plates<span>
					</span>covering it<span>
					</span>to<span><span></span>
					</span>the time that the Petrongolo crew<span><span></span>
					</span>completed<span><span></span>
					</span>installation of the timber shoring that was in place by the time the CO arrived at the<span>
					</span>Adams Site<span>
					</span>later<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>morning.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The<span>
					</span>photographs in Exhibit C-1<span><span></span>
					</span>show<span>
					</span>two<span>
					</span>workers in the<span>
					</span>unprotected<span>
					</span>trench at the Adams Site<span>
					</span>that was at least ten feet deep. Those two workers<span><span></span>
					</span>were<span><span></span>
					</span>exposed to a cave-in hazard.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Ford Dev. Corp.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC 2003,<span>
					</span>2011<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 90-1505, 1992) (“The standard speaks of the depth of the trench, not of the position of employees in the trench”),<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span>, 16 F.3d 1219 (6th Cir. 1994);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also P. Gioioso & Sons, Inc. v. O</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">SHRC</span>, 115 F.3d 100, 109 (1st Cir. 1997) (“The safety standard is implicated by the depth of a particular trench, without regard to an individual worker’s precise position in it”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Petrongolo defends on the grounds (1)<span>
					</span>the Secretary did not prove that the workers<span><span></span>
					</span>in the unprotected trench<span><span></span>
					</span>were<span>
					</span>Petrongolo employees,<span>
					</span>and<span>
					</span>(2) that the Secretary did not prove that<span>
					</span>Petrongolo had knowledge that<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">any</span><span><span></span>
					</span>workers<span><span></span>
					</span>(whether<span>
					</span>Petrongolo employees or the employees of<span>
					</span>some other employer)<span><span></span>
					</span>had entered the<span><span></span>
					</span>unprotected<span><span></span>
					</span>trench. (Resp’t Br.<span>
					</span>3,<span>
					</span>21-25).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>As discussed below, the Secretary proved both<span>
					</span>(1)<span>
					</span>that the workers in the unprotected<span><span></span>
					</span>trench were Petrongolo employees, and (2) that Petrongolo had<span>
					</span>both<span>
					</span>actual and constructive knowledge that its employees were in the unprotected trench. It<span>
					</span>is<span>
					</span>therefore<span>
					</span>unnecessary to<span>
					</span>adjudicate<span><span></span>
					</span>the Secretary’s alternative<span>
					</span>theory of liability under the multi-employer worksite doctrine<span><span></span>
					</span>or<span><span></span>
					</span>Petrongolo’s counterargument that the Secretary did not prove it had knowledge that employees of other employers<span>
					</span>were in the unprotected trench.<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Sec’y Br. 24-25;<span><span></span>
					</span>Sec’y Reply Br. 5). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The parties have stipulated that Petrongolo<span>
					</span>was the only contractor performing excavation work<span>
					</span>on the inspected trench. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶¶ IV(A)(4); T. 270, 561-64, 649-52). There is likewise no dispute that<span>
					</span>on the morning of January 28,<span><span></span>
					</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>employees<span><span></span>
					</span>installed<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">all</span><span><span></span>
					</span>the timber shoring<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>had been completely installed<span>
					</span>sometime by the time<span>
					</span>the CO arrived<span>
					</span>that morning. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(2);<span>
					</span>T. 163-64; Exs. C-3, R-25). Ron Petrongolo was present at the Adams Site on the morning of January 28. He used Petrongolo’s backhoe to remove the steel plates that had covered the trench overnight. He supervised the<span>
					</span>Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>crew in installing<span>
					</span>all the<span>
					</span>timber shoring that<span>
					</span>had been<span><span></span>
					</span>completely installed by the time the CO arrived<span><span></span>
					</span>later that morning. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(3); T.<span>
					</span>158-59,<span>
					</span>271-72, 299-301, 699-700).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>In their hearing testimony, neither<span>
					</span>Ron nor Dan Petrongolo<span>
					</span>could rule out the possibility that the workers depicted in the photographs in the<span>
					</span>unprotected<span>
					</span>trench may have been<span><span></span>
					</span>Petrongolo employees. (T. 313-23, 577-78; Ex. C-1).<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>No other employers<span>
					</span>other than Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>had cause to have their employees<span><span></span>
					</span>enter the unprotected trench on January 28<span>
					</span>and begin to install timber shoring in the<span>
					</span>unprotected trench, as the workers depicted in the photographs in Exhibit C-1 appear to be doing.<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Findings of Fact ¶¶<span><span></span>
					</span>17–19).<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">This circumstantial evidence<span>
					</span>is sufficient to prove to a<span>
					</span>reasonable certainty<span>
					</span>that the workers<span>
					</span>inside the unprotected trench were Petrongolo employees. This circumstantial case is bolstered by Westergon’s reliable and credible testimony that he<span>
					</span>observed and heard Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>giving oral instructions to workers who were inside the<span><span></span>
					</span>unprotected<span><span></span>
					</span>trench.<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Findings of Fact<span>
					</span>¶<span>
					</span>17). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Westergon testified that he recognized Ron Petrongolo from<span>
					</span>having had<span>
					</span>prior contacts<span>
					</span>with him<span>
					</span>on other<span>
					</span>projects and that on the morning of January 28<span><span></span>
					</span>he spoke to him face to face. (T. 123). Ron Petrongolo acknowledges that he spoke to PGW representatives<span>
					</span>while<span>
					</span>at the Adams Site. (T. 282). And while Westergon did not expressly testify that he observed Ron Petrongolo directing the workers in the trench<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">at a time when the trench was unprotected</span>, that detail is reasonably implied from the context of his direct and cross examination, including his tone and demeanor in responding to<span>
					</span>those<span>
					</span>questions. (T.<span>
					</span>123-24, 143-44).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Petrongolo argues that<span><span></span>
					</span>during cross-examination<span>
					</span>Westergon<span><span></span>
					</span>equivocated<span>
					</span>away from the<span>
					</span>certainty<span><span></span>
					</span>he<span><span></span>
					</span>had<span>
					</span>expressed in his direct examination that<span>
					</span>the person he saw and heard directing workers in the unprotected trench<span><span></span>
					</span>was Ron Petrongolo.<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Resp’t Br. 22). The<span>
					</span>undersigned finds<span>
					</span>Westergon’s<span>
					</span>testimony reasonably reliable and not significantly undermined by the somewhat unrelenting, albeit respectful, cross-examination regarding the reliability of<span>
					</span>his<span><span></span>
					</span>recognition of Ron Petrongolo. (T. 138-41). Moreover, it bears noting that the hearing witnesses were sequestered and that Westergon and Ron Petrongolo were never present in the videoconference hearing at the same time. Thus, neither Westergon nor Ron Petrongolo was afforded the opportunity to view the other’s video image for the purpose of confirming or denying whether they had a<span>
					</span>face-to-face<span><span></span>
					</span>encounter on January 28<span><span></span>
					</span>as Westergon described them having. (T. 123, 137).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Petrongolo could have conceivably tested the reliability of Westergon’s testimony that on January 28 he recognized Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>based on<span><span></span>
					</span>prior contacts<span><span></span>
					</span>by requesting that Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>join the<span>
					</span>videoconference hearing briefly<span><span></span>
					</span>during Westergon’s testimony for purpose identification only, but Petrongolo made no such request.)</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Other than Ron Petrongolo’s testimony that he never saw any workers inside the unprotected trench,<span>
					</span>Petrongolo has presented<span>
					</span>no probative<span>
					</span>evidence that<span>
					</span>the workers<span>
					</span>depicted<span><span></span>
					</span>in the photographs in Exhibit C-1<span>
					</span>were not Petrongolo employees. Although Petrongolo identified the four other employees that were working at the Adams Site on January 28 (Ex. C-3), none were called to testify respecting whether they had entered the unprotected trench that day or to<span>
					</span>testify that<span>
					</span>they were<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">not</span><span><span></span>
					</span>one of the two workers inside the trench depicted in Exhibit C-1. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Cf.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Well Sols</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, Inc.,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">17 BNA OSHC 1211,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1215</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(No. 91-340, 1995) (</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">determining that the</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Secretary’s prima facie case<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">sufficient to prove<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">violati</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">o</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">n where<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">evidence<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that would<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">have been in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">possession<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of the employer was not presented to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">rebut th</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">prima facie case</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Thomas Indus. Coatings</span>, 21 BNA OSHC 2283,<span>
					</span>2288<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 97-1073, 2007) (finding a violation where the employer failed to present evidence to rebut the most reasonable inference<span><span></span>
					</span>to be<span><span></span>
					</span>drawn from the evidence).<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">While the whole of the evidence may<span>
					</span>be susceptible of<span><span></span>
					</span>other inferences, those inferences are considerably less plausible than<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>reasonable<span>
					</span>inference that the workers depicted inside the trench in the photographs of Exhibit C-1 were Petrongolo employees, and<span><span></span>
					</span>on this record the undersigned finds no other inference<span>
					</span>to be<span>
					</span>reasonable. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">S</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ee<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">R.D. Anderson Const</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">r</span>., 12 BNA OSHC 1665, 1666 (No. 81-1469, 1986) (a fact is established by a preponderance of the evidence where “the evidence taken as a whole shows that the fact sought to be proved is more probable than not”). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">As to the fourth element of the Secretary’s burden of proof, a preponderance of the evidence establishes that Petrongolo<span>
					</span>knew or with the exercise of reasonable diligence could have known of a<span>
					</span>violative<span><span></span>
					</span>condition or conduct. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Calpine Corp.</span>, No. 11-1734, 2018 WL 1778958, at *5<span>
					</span>(OSHRC<span>
					</span>Apr. 6,<span>
					</span>2018),<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span><span></span>
					</span>774 F. App’x<span><span></span>
					</span>879<span><span></span>
					</span>(5th Cir. 2019) (unpublished);<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Kerns Bros. Tree Serv.</span>, 18 BNA OSHC 2064, 2067 (No. 96-1719, 2000).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>A supervisor’s knowledge of the violative condition or conduct is imputable to the employer. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Calpine Corp.</span>, 2018 WL 1778958, at *5;<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Tampa Shipyards, Inc.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC 1533, 1539 (No. 86-360, 1992) (consolidated).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">There is no dispute<span>
					</span>that Ron Petrongolo, as the foreman of the Petrongolo crew at the Adams Site, was a supervisor<span>
					</span>whose knowledge is imputable to Petrongolo. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Rawson Contractors, Inc.</span>,<span>
					</span>20 BNA OSHC 1078,<span>
					</span>1080<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 99-0018, 2003) (supervisory status of an employee is based on a consideration of the “indicia of authority that the employer has empowered a foreman or other employee to exercise on its behalf”). As<span>
					</span>previously found, the<span>
					</span>greater<span><span></span>
					</span>weight of the evidence is that<span><span></span>
					</span>Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>supervised and gave oral<span>
					</span>directions to the Petrongolo employees<span>
					</span>who were installing shoring in the<span>
					</span>unprotected trench. (Findings of Fact ¶<span>
					</span>17). Ron Petrongolo thus had actual knowledge of the employees’ violative conduct, and his knowledge is imputed to<span>
					</span>Petrongolo. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Calpine Corp.</span>,<span><span></span>
					</span>2018 WL 1778958, at *5;<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Tampa Shipyards, Inc.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC at 1539.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Even if the Secretary had failed to prove<span>
					</span>Ron Petrongolo’s<span>
					</span>actual knowledge, the<span>
					</span>greater<span><span></span>
					</span>weight of the evidence<span><span></span>
					</span>also establishes that Ron Petrongolo could have<span>
					</span>discovered or prevented the<span>
					</span>employees’ violative<span>
					</span>conduct<span><span></span>
					</span>with the exercise of reasonable diligence, and thus<span>
					</span>he<span>
					</span>had constructive knowledge of the violative condition.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Mastec N. Am., Inc.</span>, No. 15-1574, 2021 WL 2311875, at *6 n. 7 (OSHRC, Mar. 2, 2021) (commenting that in determining whether a supervisor had constructive knowledge of an employee’s violative conduct, “the question is whether [the] supervisor exercised reasonable diligence in monitoring” the employee’s work). Reasonable diligence can implicate “several factors, including an employer’s obligations to implement adequate work rules and training programs, adequately supervise employees, anticipate<span>
					</span>hazards, and take measures to prevent violations from occurring.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">S.J. Louis Constr. of Tex.</span>, 25 BNA OSHC 1892, 1894 (No. 12-1045, 2016).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Ron<span>
					</span>Petrongolo<span>
					</span>was the foreman and supervised the work Petrongolo was performing<span>
					</span>at the Adams Site<span>
					</span>on January 28, 2020. (Joint Pre-Hr’g Statement ¶ IV(A)(3)<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span>).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>He was in charge of running the worksite,<span>
					</span>he<span>
					</span>remained there the entire shift<span><span></span>
					</span>“for the most part,”<span>
					</span>and<span><span></span>
					</span>he<span>
					</span>directed the work during the excavation. (T. 261). He<span><span></span>
					</span>operated<span>
					</span>Petrongolo’s<span><span></span>
					</span>backhoe and removed the<span><span></span>
					</span>steel plates<span><span></span>
					</span>covering the<span>
					</span>trench<span><span></span>
					</span>on the morning of January 28, and<span>
					</span>he<span>
					</span>thus<span>
					</span>had actual knowledge that<span>
					</span>the unprotected<span>
					</span>trench<span>
					</span>was open and accessible to<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span><span></span>
					</span>Petrongolo employees<span>
					</span>who were present to<span>
					</span>begin to<span>
					</span>install the timber shoring.<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Findings of Fact ¶<span>
					</span>16). And, while the<span><span></span>
					</span>evidence<span>
					</span>does not<span>
					</span>establish<span>
					</span>precisely establishes how long the workers were in the unprotected<span><span></span>
					</span>trench,<span>
					</span>the progress<span>
					</span>they had made in installing<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>timber<span>
					</span>shoring as depicted in<span>
					</span>the<span><span></span>
					</span>photographs<span><span></span>
					</span>of Exhibit C-1 permits the reasonable inference that they<span><span></span>
					</span>were in the trench for more than a “brief or indeterminate duration.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See David Weekley Homes</span>, 19 BNA 1116, 1119 (No. 96-0898, 2000). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Even assuming Ron Petrongolo temporarily left the Adams Site after he had removed the steel plates that had been covering the trench, he had a heightened responsibility to keep<span>
					</span>the Petrongolo<span><span></span>
					</span>crew<span>
					</span>from<span><span></span>
					</span>entering the unprotected trench in his absence. There is no evidence that he took any affirmative steps to do so, such as admonishing the employees not to enter the unprotected<span>
					</span>trench or<span><span></span>
					</span>by re-covering the trench with the steel plates. His lack of reasonable diligence is even more apparent considering that before<span>
					</span>Messrs.<span><span></span>
					</span>Westergon and Eckroade<span><span></span>
					</span>of PGW observed the Petrongolo employees in the unprotected trench,<span>
					</span>Westergon<span><span></span>
					</span>made a point of warning Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>directly<span>
					</span>that the Petrongolo workers should not enter the unprotected<span>
					</span>trench. (T. 123, 137).<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">A preponderance of the evidence establishes that in the exercise of reasonable diligence<span>
					</span>Ron Petrongolo<span>
					</span>could have prevented the violation from occurring. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">S.J. Louis Constr. of Tex.</span>, 25 BNA OSHC<span>
					</span>at<span><span></span>
					</span>1894; c<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">f. KS Energy Servs. Inc.</span>, 22 BNA OSHC<span><span></span>
					</span>at 1267-68<span><span></span>
					</span>(foreman’s presence at the worksite where hazardous conditions was in plain view was relevant to determining constructive knowledge). Ron Petrongolo’s constructive knowledge is imputed to<span>
					</span>Petrongolo. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Calpine Corp.</span>, 2018 WL 1778958, at *5;<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Tampa Shipyards, Inc.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC at 1539.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Repeat<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">C</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">lassification</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for Citation 2, Item 1</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Section 17(a) of the<span><span></span>
					</span>Act, 29 U.S.C. § 666(a),<span><span></span>
					</span>allows for<span><span></span>
					</span>heightened penalties for “[a]ny employer who ... repeatedly violates the requirements of<span><span></span>
					</span>...<span>
					</span>any standard<span><span></span>
					</span>...<span>
					</span>promulgated pursuant to section 6 of this Act<span><span></span>
					</span>...<span><span></span>
					</span>.” “<span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">A violation is properly classified as repeated under section 17(a) of the Act if, at the time of the alleged repeated violation, there was a Commission final order against the same employer for a substantially similar violation.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Jersey Steel Erectors</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 16 BNA OSHC 1162,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1167</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(No. 90-1307, 1993)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, citing<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch Corp.,</span><span><span></span>
					</span>7 BNA OSHC 1061, 1063<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 16183, 1979)<span><span></span>
					</span>(<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch</span>).<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref7" href="#ftn7">6</a></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span>The Secretary can<span>
					</span>make a prima facie showing of<span>
					</span>substantial similarity<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">by showing that both violations are of the same standard.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">
					</span>This prima facie showing of substantial similarity may be rebutted “by evidence of the disparate conditions and hazards associated with these violations of the same standard.”<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Citation alleged<span>
					</span>Petrongolo’s violation of § 1926.652(a)(1) was a repeat violation based on the following:</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; margin-right:42.267px; ">Petrongolo Contractors, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of [§ 1926.652(a)(1)] which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1347967, citation number 2, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on April 26th, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at Broad Street and Wharton Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; margin-right:42.267px; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; margin-right:42.267px; ">Petrongolo Contractors, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of [§ 1926.652(a)(1)] which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1347967, <span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref8" href="#ftn8">7</a></span><span><span></span>
					</span>citation number 2, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on November 1st, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at Broad Street and Ell[s]worth<span>
					</span>Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; margin-right:42.267px; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; margin-right:42.267px; ">Petrongolo Contractors, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of [§ 1926.652(a)(1)] which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1323007, citation number 1 item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on November 1st, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at 20<span style="position:relative;font-size:0.58em; bottom: 1ex;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">th</span><span><span></span>
					</span>and<span>
					</span>Poplar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; ">At the hearing, the Secretary submitted the following<span>
					</span>evidence<span>
					</span>regarding the<span><span></span>
					</span>prior violations:</p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; widows:0; orphans:0; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Regarding<span><span></span>
				</span>the previous violation<span><span></span>
				</span>arising out of inspection 1347967, occurring<span>
				</span>on September 21, 2018,<span>
				</span>at Broad Street and Wharton Street (Broad-Wharton Citation): the Citation<span><span></span>
				</span>alleging a violation of § 1926.652(a)(1)<span><span></span>
				</span>and the Violation Worksheet for the Broad-Wharton Citation. (Exs. J-5,<span>
				</span>J-6).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Regarding<span><span></span>
				</span>the previous violation<span>
				</span>arising out of inspection 1326082, occurring<span><span></span>
				</span>on June 28, 2018,<span><span></span>
				</span>at Broad Street and Ellsworth Street (Broad-Ellsworth Citation): the Citation<span><span></span>
				</span>alleging a violation of § 1926.652(a)(1), the Photo Mounting Worksheet for the Broad-Ellsworth Citation, the Violation Worksheet for the Broad-Ellsworth Citation, and an Informal Settlement Agreement for the Broad-Ellsworth Citation signed by Ron Petrongolo on October 25, 2018. (Exs. C-7, C-8, J-1, J-3).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Regarding<span><span></span>
				</span>the previous violation<span><span></span>
				</span>arising out of inspection 1323007, occurring<span>
				</span>on June 15, 2018,<span>
				</span>at 20th and Poplar Street (Poplar Citation): the Citation<span><span></span>
				</span>alleging a violation of § 1926.652(a)(1), the Photo Mounting Worksheet for the Poplar Citation, the Violation Worksheet for the Poplar Citation, photos of employees in an unprotected excavation<span><span></span>
				</span>taken in connection with the Poplar Citation, and an Informal Settlement Agreement for the Poplar Citation signed by Ron Petrongolo on October 25, 2018. (Exs. C-4, C-5, C-6, J-2, J-4).</p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Based on the<span>
					</span>evidence submitted for the Broad-Ellsworth and Poplar Citations,<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref9" href="#ftn9">8</a></span><span><span></span>
					</span>the Secretary has established a prima facie case of<span>
					</span>substantial<span>
					</span>similarity for purposes of classifying<span>
					</span>Petrongolo’s violation of § 1926.652(a)(1) as a repeat violation. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Jersey Steel Erectors</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">16 BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1167</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Triumph Constr. Corp.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 26<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">BNA OSHC</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1331</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1346-47<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">No. 15-0634</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 2016)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(ALJ)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">determining</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">informal settlement agreement constitute</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>a “Commission final order” for purposes of repeat classification)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 885 F.3d 95 (2d Cir. 2018)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. The burden therefore shifts to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to rebut th</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e Secretary’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>showing. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Lake Erie Constr. Co.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 21<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">BNA OSHC</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1285</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1289</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">No. 02-0520</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 2005). In so doing,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>must show that the previous violations resulted in different<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">hazards</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, not just distinguish the</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>factual</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>circumstances surrounding the instant violation and the previous ones. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Amerisig S</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">e.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, Inc.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 17 BNA OSHC 1659, 1661</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(No. 93-1429, 1996)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“[T]he princip</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">l factor in determining whether a violation is repeated is whether the two violations resulted in substantially similar hazards</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff’d without published opinion</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 117 F.3d 1433 (11th<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Cir. 1997)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>has not rebutted the Secretary’s prima facie case<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">for either the<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Popla</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">r or the<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Broad-Ellsworth Citations.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Poplar Citation</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">For the Poplar Citation,<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>points out that, as indicated in the Violation Worksheet for that Citation, there was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">no<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">shoring installed for workers in a trench that was over five feet deep. </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Resp’t Br. 27</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>citing Ex. J-2). </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo asserts that t</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">his was because “Petrongolo did not anticipate needing to excavate further than five feet, so it did not bring shoring materials to the job site.” </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Resp’t Br. 27</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. By contrast,<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>goes on to argue, the shoring for the instant Citation was alleged to have been<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">inadequate</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>rather than non-existent</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>28</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">This argument is rejected. The violation at the Adams Site involves the exposure of two Petrongolo employees who<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">we</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">re inside an unprotected trench</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>beginning to install timber shoring. The Petrongolo employees at the Adams Site were exposed to a substantially similar, if not identical, hazard as the employee who was inside an unprotected excavation in connection with the Poplar Citation, as<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that employee is depicted</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in the photographs at Exhibits C-4 and C-5. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Amerisig S</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">e.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, Inc.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 17 BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1661</span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">;</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Lake Erie Constr. Co., Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 21<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">BNA OSHC at<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1289</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(“</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">We find that the record supports the judge</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s finding that these violations were substantially similar because both involved the same standard and the same hazard, a fall of more than 20 feet to a road below</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T. 186-89</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">describing the cave-in hazards associated with a</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">n unprotected</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>trench five feet</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or more in depth</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). Indeed, Dan Petrongolo acknowledged that the possibility of severe injury or death is a hazard associated with any trench<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that lacks an<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">adequate<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">protective</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>system in place. (Tr. 590-91)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">C</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">f.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Par Elec. Contractors, Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 20<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">BNA OSHC</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>162</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">4</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 1628 (No. 99-1520</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 2004)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(finding substantially similar hazards where<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">foreman acknowledged the hazards were similar in nature).</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Broad-Ellsworth Citation</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">For many of the same reasons</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">discussed in connection with the Poplar Citation</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’s attempts to distinguish the Broad-Ellsworth Citation</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>from the instant Citation</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>also</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>fail. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>again points to the fact that the Broad-Ellsworth Citation allegedly involved a trench with<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">no<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">cave-in protection, whereas this case involves the use of two types of cave-in protection at one time or another. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Resp’t Br. 29</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. This argument again fails for the reasons</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>set</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>forth above. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">also points t</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">o a photograph in the Violation Worksheet for the Broad-Ellsworth Citation which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo characterizes to be</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>an employee working on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">water main. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Resp’t Br. 29</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>citing Ex. J-1;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ex. C-7</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">argues that, because “such utility work falls within the scope of work for much of Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>business,” it is more likely that this photograph depicts an employee doing “authorized work in an excavation over 5-feet deep</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Resp’t Br. 29</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. This argument is contrary to the fact</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s found herein that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">were<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">inside the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">unprotected<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">trench on January 28, 2020, while receiving oral instructions from<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Ron Petrongolo</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and thus performing work that Ron Petrongolo was explicitly authorizing that they do</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. In any event, this argument does not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">alter the incontrovertible fact that the employees at the Adams Site and the employee at the Broad-Ellsworth site were exposed to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">substantially similar cave-in hazards, which is the crux of the inquiry for purposes of repeat characterization.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Lake Erie Constr. Co.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">21<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">BNA OSHC at</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1289</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Finally,<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>argues<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">generally<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that “substantially similar” must “be construed sufficiently narrowly [so] that the citation for the first violation placed the employer on notice of<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the need to take steps to prevent the second violation.” Resp’t Br. 26,</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref10" href="#ftn10">9</a></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">quoting<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar, Inc. v. Herman</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 154 F.3d 400, 403 (7th Cir. 1998)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(“</span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”)</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">; Resp’t Br. 30-31</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Further citing to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>argues that a repeat characterization is “only warranted where an employer fails to learn from experience.” </span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, quoting<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 154 F.3d at 402. </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Seventh Circuit’s decision in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is not controlling precedent in this matter, but even if it were</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, it would not alter the result</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>here</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">I</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">n<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the Commission found that the employer had failed to rebut the Secretary’s prima facie showing of similarity for violations under the same standard, and the<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">court</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>affirmed that finding</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Caterpillar</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 154 F.3d at 404</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> The language<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo quotes<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">merely recognize</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, as<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Commission<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">has since<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, that<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an employer can rebut a<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">prima facie showing of<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">substantial similarity</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for violations under the same standard<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">by proffering<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">sufficient “evidence of the disparate conditions and hazards associated with these violations of the same<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">standard.” </span><span style="font-style:italic; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlach</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 7</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>BNA OSHC at</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1063</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>has simply failed to make that showing here.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref11" href="#ftn11">10</a></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Secretary’s evidence established a prima facie case that Citation 2, Item 1 was substantially similar to the violations in the Poplar and Broad-Ellsworth Citations. </span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>has not rebutted the Secretary’s showing</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, and a</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ccordingly</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Petrongolo</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’s violation of § 1926.652(a)(1)<span>
						</span></span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">i</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s properly c</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">lassified</span><span style="background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>as a repeat violation.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Penalty</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Section 17(a) of the<span><span></span>
					</span>Act, 29 U.S.C. § 666(a),<span><span></span>
					</span>provides, in relevant part, that “[a]ny employer who ... repeatedly violates ...<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>any standard ... promulgated pursuant to section 6 of this Act<span><span></span>
					</span>...<span><span></span>
					</span>may be assessed a civil penalty” that is up to ten times the maximum penalty for a serious or other-than-serious violation.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>The<span><span></span>
					</span>maximum penalty for<span>
					</span>the<span><span></span>
					</span>repeat violation<span>
					</span>proven<span>
					</span>here is<span>
					</span>$<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">134,937.</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>29 C.F.R. § 1903.15(d)(2) (2020).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Commission and its judges conduct<span><span></span>
					</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">de novo</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>penalty determinations and have discretion to assess penalties based on the facts of each case and the applicable statutory criteria. <span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Valdak Corp.</span>, 17 BNA OSHC 1135, 1138 (No. 93-0239, 1995)<span><span></span>
					</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">’</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">d</span>,<span><span></span>
					</span>73 F.3d 1466 (8th Cir. 1996);<span><span></span>
					</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Allied Structural Steel</span>, 2 BNA OSHC 1457, 1458 (No. 1681, 1975). Section 17(j) of the Act,<span><span></span>
					</span>29 U.S.C. § 666(j), requires that in assessing penalties, the Commission give “due consideration” to four criteria:<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>the size of the employer’s business, the gravity of the violation, the employer’s good<span>
					</span>faith, and its prior history of violations. <span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Specialists of the S., Inc.</span>, 14 BNA OSHC 1910, 1910<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 89-2241, 1990).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Gravity is the primary consideration among these four statutory criteria and is determined by “such matters as the number of employees exposed, the duration of the exposure, the precautions taken against injury, and the likelihood that any injury would result.” <span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Emphasis style_Emphasis " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">J.A. Jones Constr. Co.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC 2201, 2214 (No. 87-2059, 1993). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Secretary proposes a penalty of<span>
					</span>$29,687 for the repeat violation<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">. At the hearing,<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">the OSHA assistant area director indicated<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">that th</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">is</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>proposed penalty was<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">based on a<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">determination that the<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">gravity of the<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">violation was high</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">because the severity of any injury that could result from the violation was “higher” and the probability of an injury occurring was “greater.” (T. 393-94). </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">The photographs at Exhibit C-1 indicate that soil on at least one wall of the trench was visibl</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">y</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>unstable. (T.<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">104-05,<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">146-47</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">).<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">The undersigned concurs</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">in that assessment<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">of the statutory<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">gravity<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">factor</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">, so that if the penalty were based solely on</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>its</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>gravity, the maximum penalty<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">of $13,</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">494<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">for a serious violation<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">would be appropriate</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">.</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">29 C.F.R. § 1903.15(d)(</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">3</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">) (2020);</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">c</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">f. Mossier Constr., Inc.</span>, 23 BNA OSHC 1044,<span>
					</span>1047<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 08-0631, 2010) (“[R]egardless of the probability of a cave-in, we find that the gravity of the violation remains moderate to high considering the serious consequences in the event a cave-in occurred”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">The undersigned further concurs</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>with the Secretary’s<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">penalty calculation</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in reducing th</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">at figure<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">by 60% to account for Petrongolo’s small size. (T. 394). The undersigned concurs further with the Secretary<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">in</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>providing no reduction for good faith in<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">view of<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">the violation being repeated based on two prior violations of the same standard occurring within 20 months of the</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">violation</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>proven here</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">. </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">The undersigned d</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">oes<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; font-style:italic; ">not</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>concur in increasing that figure by 10% to account for history of violations as the Secretary<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">has<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">propose</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">d</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">, because the substantial enhancement of the penalty for<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">to account for its</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>repeated nature sufficiently addresses that statutory factor</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">The undersigned concurs in<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">multiplying<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">the resulting figure for a repeated violation based upon<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">the</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>two prior violations of the same standard occurring within 20 months of the<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">instant<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">violation. </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">The Secretary</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">’s proposed penalty was based on<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">the</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>assertion that there were three prior violations of the same standard, rather than two prior violations<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">the Secretary proved</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">. Although there was no testimony on the point, the Secretary’s proposed penalty would presumably have been<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">lower had the Secretary formulated it based on two, rather than three</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">,</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">prior<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">violations</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the same standard</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">. </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">For this reason</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">, a penalty of $22,000 will be assessed for the repeat violation based upon Petrongolo’s two prior violations of the same standard, both occurring less than two years before the<span>
						</span></span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">violation proven here</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; ">. </span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_Strong style_Strong " style="font-weight:normal; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-weight:normal; font-style:italic; ">Cf.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">M.V.P. Piping Co.</span>, 24 BNA OSHC 1350, 1352 (No. 12-1233, 2014) (“a high gravity violation of the cave-in protection standard typically warrants a substantial penalty”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:1; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ORDER</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The foregoing decision constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions of law in accordance<span><span></span>
					</span>with Commission Rule 90(a)(1). 29 C.F.R. § 2200.90(a)(1).<span style="font-family:Arial; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial; ">
					</span>Based upon the foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law, it is ORDERED that:</p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="padding-right:20px;">1.</span>Citation 1, Item 1, alleging a<span>
				</span>serious<span>
				</span>violation of 29 C.F.R.<span>
				</span>§ 1926.652(c)(1), having not been proven, is VACATED.</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="padding-right:20px;">2.</span>Citation 2, Item 1, alleging a<span>
				</span>repeat<span><span></span>
				</span>violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1)<span>
				</span>is<span>
				</span>AFFIRMED as a<span>
				</span>REPEAT<span><span></span>
				</span>violation and a penalty of $22,000<span><span></span>
				</span>is ASSESSED.</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-left:288px; "> </p>
			</div>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-left:288px; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-left:288px; "><span style="font-style:italic; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; text-decoration:underline ;">/s/ William S. Coleman</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; margin-left:240px; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">WILLIAM S. COLEMAN</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; line-height:1; margin-left:234.267px; text-indent:1.422cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Administrative Law Judge</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:1; margin-left:-5.733px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Dated:<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">September 28, 2021</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:1; "> </p>
			</div>
			<hr/>"
      <div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<a name="ftn-1" href="#ftnref-1"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<a name="ftn0" href="#ftnref0"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; ">
					<a name="ftn1" href="#ftnref1"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn2" href="#ftnref2"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">References herein to “Petrongolo” are references to the Respondent only. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Messrs. Ron and Dan Petrongolo<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">are</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>referred to by f</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ull</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>name</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>only</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn3" href="#ftnref3"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">2 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">No evidence of the length of this segment of Adams Avenue was presented at the hearing. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">his finding<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">respecting the distance between the two intersections<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">is based on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">judicial</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>notice of a Google map and satellite image of</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the area</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, the accuracy of which cannot reasonably be questioned for purposes of this case.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Pahls v. Thomas</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 718 F.3d 1210, 1216</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>n.1</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(10th Cir. 2013)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(taking<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">sua sponte</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>j</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">udicial notice of a Googl</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">e map and satellite image as a “‘</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">source[ ] whose accuracy<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">cannot reasonably be questioned’ for purposes of this case” under Fed. R. Evid. 201(b)(2));<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">accord U.S. v. Burroughs</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 810 F.3d 833, 835<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">n.1<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(D.C. Cir. 2016)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(taking judicial notice of the same on motion of party).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn4" href="#ftnref4"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">3 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">The CO testified that he arrived at the Adams Site in the morning, but there is no more precise evidence of the time he arrived. (T. 158). The CO took 30 photographs of the Adams Site, which were admitted in evidence as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Exhibit J-8. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(T. 178-79). Eight of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">photographs have timestamps ranging from 12:19 p.m. to 12:25 p.m</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">., but the other photographs have no timestamps</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">. (Ex. J-8, pp. 1-8).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>In his testimony, the CO indicated that these timestamps may have been one hour off, but he did not indicate whether this discrepancy was one hour earlier or later.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> (T. 200).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn5" href="#ftnref5"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">4 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">he Secretary</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>has argued that Petrongolo’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">design of the t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">imber shoring d</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">id not conform to the requirements of Appendix C. (Sec’y Br. 22-23).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> That issue will not be adjudicated because the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">scope of the alleged violation is limited to whether Petrongolo conformed with the requirements of Appendix A<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">for</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">classifying<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">the soil<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">type. The citation item does not allege a violation of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Appendix C respecting the design of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo’s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>timber shoring</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>system, and so t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">issue</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">of whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo’s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>design conformed with Appendix C is outside the scope of the pleadings. Moreover,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">issue</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>was not tried by consent of the parties such<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">judge</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>could<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">sua sponte</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">amend the pleadings</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>post-hearing</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "> Fossett</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 7 BNA OSHC 1915 (No. 76–3944, 1979) (upholding Commission judge’s decision to amend a citation item<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">sua sponte</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>after the close of the hearing pursuant to the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">provisions<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">set forth in current</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Fed. R. Civ. P.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">15(b)(2)</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">McWilliams Forge Co., Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 11 BNA OSHC 2128, 2129-30 (No. 80-5868, 1984) (deciding that amendment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(b)(2) “is proper only if two findings can be made – that the parties<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">tried<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">an unpleaded issue and that they<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">consented</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to do so</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">;</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and stating further that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">“[t]rial by consent may be found only when the parties knew, that is, squarely recognized, that they were trying an unpleaded issue”).<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>In any event, even if the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">issue</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">were</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>deemed to have been</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>within the scope of the pleadings or</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>tried by consent, the evidence that Petrongolo’s design</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>failed to meet</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the requirements of Appendix C was not preponderant. (</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>T. 435-36, 664-67). </span></p>
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			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn6" href="#ftnref6"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">5 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">The defin</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ition is</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Competent person</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>means<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings, or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.”</span><span style="font-size:12pt; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">§</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1926.650(b)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn7" href="#ftnref7"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">6 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">The employer or the Secretary may appeal a Commission<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">final<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">order to the federal court of appeals for the circuit in which the violation allegedly occurred or where the employer has its principal office, and the employer also may appeal to the District of Columbia Circuit. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>29 U.S.C. §§ 660(a) and (b). Here, the violation occurred in Pennsylvania, in the Third Circuit, where Petrongolo’s office is also located. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Citation at 1 (listing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">’s business address in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). The</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Third Circuit has adopted the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Commission</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">test.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Reich v. D.M. Sabia Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 90 F.3d 854 (3d Cir. 1996)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn8" href="#ftnref8"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">7 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">he documentation<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">received in evidence reflects the actual<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">inspection number<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">being</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1326082.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> (Ex. J-3).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn9" href="#ftnref9"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">8 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">No evidence of a final order respecting the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Broad-Wharton Citation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>was presented</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">. In arguing that this Citation was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">disposed of by informal settlement</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, the Secretary cites only to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">vague, general<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">testimony from</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>OSHA’s assistant area director</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and Dan Petrongolo</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>concerning settlement</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>negotiations</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Sec’y Br. 29</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">citing T. 362, 574). This is insufficient to establish the existence of a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Commission final order</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for the Broad-Wharton Citation, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">so that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Citation</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is not regarded to constitute a pr</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ior<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">violation for purposes of classifying the current violation as repeated</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>or for assessing<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">the</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>penalty</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
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			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn10" href="#ftnref10"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">9 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">In support of this argument Petrongolo</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>also cites<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">the Commission’s decision in</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Angelica Textile Servs., Inc.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 27 BNA OSHC 1246 (No. 08-1774, 2018)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">vacated as moot</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 803 F. App'x 542 (2d Cir. 2020) (unpublished). </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">A vacated decision of the Commission has no precedential effect. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Reich v. Contractors Welding</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 996 F.2d 1409, 1413-14 (2d Cir. 1993) (analysis in a vacated Commission decision may not “retain any precedential effect” because the Commission lacks rulemaking authority and adjudicating cases based on a decision that could not be reviewed due to intervening mootness is unfair).</span></p>
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			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Petrongolo</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>also cites to the Fourth Circuit’s decision in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">George Hyman Constr. Co. v.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">OSHRC</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 582 F.2d 834 (4th Cir. 1978). This decision pre</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">dates the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Commission’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>decision</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">However, the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">c</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ourt did note that it had “deliberately avoided setting forth an all-inclusive and rigid definition of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">‘</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">repeatedly</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>under the Act” and was “allowing the Commission flexibility in working out reasonable guidelines in enforcing the Act.”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">George Hyman Constr. Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 582 F.2d at 841.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">In the more than forty years after the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Commission decided<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, the Fourth Circuit has n</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ot</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>revisited the issue of what standard to apply to determine repeat<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">classification</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, and there is no reason to conclude that the Fourth Circuit would<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">now<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">regard<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Potlatch</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>not to provide “reasonable guidelines” for classifying a violation as repeated</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn11" href="#ftnref11"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">10 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> Petrongolo</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>also argues that defining the hazard addressed by §</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1926.652(a)(1) simply as a “cave-in hazard,” as the Secretary does, “could describe virtually any violation of 29 C.F.R. §</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1926.652(a)(1)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>[which] would broaden the concept as to render ethereal any supposed ‘advance warning’ from prior citations.”</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Resp’t Br. 31, quoting</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Mondo Constr.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Co.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 25</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1285</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(No. 13-1332, 2014) (ALJ)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(addressing how a predicate violation may provide a basis for a repeat classification for the violation of a different standard)</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Unlike<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Mondo Construction</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, the two pr</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ior</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>violations here were for violations of the same standard as the instant violation, which is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">specifically focused on protecting employees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">in excavations<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">from cave-ins</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">. §</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1926.652(a)(1).</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
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