Opinion ID: 199955
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Safety Violations

Text: 3 After ASI commenced work, the Navy made limited and cursory inspections of the work site. According to the testimony of Navy personnel, it conducted walk-through inspections of the ASI work site several times a week. Each inspection lasted less than an hour and the inspections were confined to the ground level. The inspections were meant to serve a dual purpose: to monitor the quality of ASI's work and to identify possible safety infractions. As required by the Contract, the Navy notified ASI of safety violations that it recognized. In 1997, after being apprized by Navy personnel that ASI was not in compliance with certain safety requirements, the Navy contacted ASI and requested that particular corrective actions be taken. A letter was sent on March 27, 1997, pointing out necessary amendments to ASI's safety plan. After a severe accident on August 20, 1997, another letter was sent to ASI by the Project Engineer, Mark Leighton. In a letter dated August 26, 1997, Leighton noted that ASI was not in compliance with the approved safety plan. On September 17, 1997, yet another letter was sent observing that ASI had failed to address certain issues outlined in the August 26 letter. The Navy recommended a review of ASI's fall protection plan and comprehension training for all employees working on scaffolding. 4 Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was also investigating ASI's compliance with mandated safety regulations after the accident of August 20 had caused serious injury to one of ASI's employees. The accident occurred when two employees were riding a suspension scaffold. The wire cable holding the scaffold broke, dropping the workers to a roof thirty feet below. OSHA cited ASI with eight violations classified as serious and administered a penalty of $80,000. During the course of the investigation, OSHA uncovered a similar accident that had occurred just two weeks prior in which a cable broke on a scaffold suspended 720 feet in the air. Fortunately, the five employees on that scaffold reached the ground safely. It appears from the record that ASI had not informed the Navy of the earlier August accident. 5 As a result of OSHA's investigation and report, issued in February 1998, the Navy informed ASI that, before the 1998 construction season began in June, a revised safety plan, along with several other items, would have to be submitted. After two months had elapsed and ASI had not proffered the requested documents, the Navy threatened to prohibit the start of work on June 1, 1998. On that date, ASI responded to the Navy's requests, and it also hired a full-time Health and Safety Officer, Josh Callander.