A Massachusetts contractor just got handed the kind of fine that ends companies.
Revoli Construction Co. Inc. is facing $4,699,362 in proposed OSHA penalties after a November 2025 trench collapse in Yarmouth killed one worker and seriously injured another. The two men were removing sandy soil and installing steel plates outside a trench when the backfilled sand gave way and buried them. One did not make it out alive.
OSHA's investigation turned up a nightmare list of violations: seven willful citations, 33 repeat violations, and 17 serious ones. The specific failures read like a how-not-to guide for excavation work.
Workers had no safe way to exit the trench. There was no adequate cave-in protection in place. Spoil piles were sitting within two feet of the excavation edge -- which is illegal. The shoring system was not installed per the engineering design. The protective system in use was damaged. Unsupported underground utilities. Electrical and fall hazards on top of all that.
Every single one of those violations is preventable. Every one of them is covered in OSHA's excavation standard. And yet here we are.
"This cave-in is a solemn reminder of the dangers construction workers face when basic safety procedures and safe engineering solutions are ignored," Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement.
She is not wrong. Trench work kills people every year because crews rush, cut corners, or just do not know the rules. Sandy soil is especially unpredictable -- it does not give you warning signs before it moves. By the time you realize something is wrong, it is already too late.
The contractor has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference, or contest the findings.
Best Practices and Tips for Trench and Excavation Safety
Before you ever put a shovel in the ground:
- Classify the soil. Sandy, granular, or wet soil requires more protective measures than solid rock. Do not guess.
- Identify and locate all underground utilities before breaking ground. Call 811.
- Have a competent person on site -- OSHA requires it for all excavation work.
Cave-in protection is non-negotiable:
- Trenches five feet deep or more require protective systems: sloping, shoring, or a trench box.
- Trenches in unstable soil may need protection at shallower depths.
- Inspect protective systems daily and after any rainfall or vibration event.
Keep the trench clear:
- Spoil piles must be at least two feet from the edge of the excavation.
- No equipment operates near the edge without a spotter.
- Workers always need a ladder or ramp within 25 feet of lateral travel.
Exit strategy matters:
- Every worker in the trench needs a safe, unobstructed way out at all times.
- Mark the exit. Make sure everyone knows where it is before they get in.
Trench fatalities are not bad luck. They are the result of specific, identifiable failures. Know the standard. Follow it. Get everyone home.