Case Name: J.B. COXWELL CONTRACTING, INC., etc., et al., Appellants, v. John SHAFER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1995-10-20
Citations: 663 So. 2d 659
Docket Number: No. 94-2780
Parties: J.B. COXWELL CONTRACTING, INC., etc., et al., Appellants, v. John SHAFER, Appellee.
Judges: PETERSON, C.J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 663
Pages: 659–661

Head Matter:
J.B. COXWELL CONTRACTING, INC., etc., et al., Appellants, v. John SHAFER, Appellee.
No. 94-2780.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Oct. 20, 1995.
Rehearing Denied Dec. 6, 1995.
Randall M. Bolinger and Michael V. Hammond of Rissman, Weisberg, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain, P.A., Orlando, for Appellants J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc. and John Coxwell.
Kevin Patrick Bailey, Orlando, for Appel-lee.

Opinion:
COBB, Judge.
This appeal arose as the result of the trial court's denial of the employer's motions' for summary judgment. The employer claimed that summary judgment should be granted based on the exclusive remedy provisions under Florida's worker's compensation statute, Chapter 440, Florida Statutes.
As the result of an accident that occurred on March 14, 1991, John Shafer (appellee) filed a complaint against the employer which alleged that Shafer was helping to lay storm drainage pipe in a trench approximately 10 to 15 feet deep when dirt from the side caved in on him. The facts viewed in a light favorable to Shafer indicate that the trench was not sloped according to OSHA guidelines and did not have a "trench shield" in place. Because of these two violations, Shafer claimed the employer committed an intentional tort. In denying the motions for summary judgment, the trial court indicated that the question of whether an accident would have occurred with a degree of virtual certainty was a factual determination.
In Fisher v. Shenandoah General Construction Company, 498 So.2d 882, 883 (Fla. 1986), the Florida Supreme Court specifically noted that an employer's failure to provide a safe workplace or to follow OSHA guidelines, "does not constitute an intentional tort." While generally, employer conduct can rise to the level of an intentional tort, the actions here clearly did not do so even assuming the employer removed safety devices and violat ed OSHA guidelines in an attempt to speed up completion of the project. See Kenann & Sons Demolition, Inc. v. Dipaolo, 653 So.2d 1130, 1131 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995) (reversing trial court's denial of employer's motion for summary judgment — failure to provide safe place of work); Emergency One, Inc. v. Keffer, 652 So.2d 1233 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995) (reversing trial court's denial of employer's motion for summary judgment — evidence of dangerous work environment); Kline v. Rubio, 652 So.2d 964 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995), rev. denied, 660 So.2d 714 (1995).
Accordingly, the trial court's non-final order denying the appellant's motions for summary judgment are reversed and remanded with instructions to enter final summary judgment in favor of J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc. and John Coxwell, individually.
REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.
PETERSON, C.J., concurs.
SHARP, W., J., dissents with opinion.
. J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc. and John Cox-well, individually.