🗞️ Sound Construction Inc. Faces $1.2M Penalty After Repeat Willful Safety Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has escalated enforcement action against Sound Construction Inc., proposing over $1.2 million in penalties following discoveries of continued safety violations that expose workers to life-threatening trenching hazards. The case is brought against Sound Construction amidst OSHA's intensified crackdown on repeat violators in an industry that has experienced alarming fatality rates, with 39 trench-related deaths in 2022 alone - more than double the previous year's toll.

The enforcement action stems from a December 2023 workplace fatality at a New Canaan worksite that claimed the life of a Sound Construction worker. The employee was trapped in a 12-foot-deep vertical-walled trench without cave-in protection when the walls collapsed, burying him under thousands of pounds of soil. Fire department personnel extracted the worker within 15 minutes, but he later died from the injuries sustained.

OSHA's investigation revealed Sound Construction exposed five employees to severe risks including cave-in, engulfment, and struck-by hazards at the New Canaan site. As a result of that investigation, OSHA cited the employer for two willful and five serious violations. The agency entered into a settlement agreement requiring the owner to submit monthly lists of active worksites and allow OSHA to randomly inspect them to determine trenching and excavation safety standard compliance.

However, the June 12, 2025 follow-up inspection at a Stamford worksite revealed Sound Construction had not corrected its safety culture. OSHA cited the employer for seven willful and four serious violations related to excavation hazards, proposing penalties totaling $1,224,798. Inspectors found the employer failed to train workers on unsafe trenching and excavation hazards, provide adequate protection from cave-ins, require daily excavation inspections, follow trench shield installation standards, and backfill shields to prevent hazardous movement.

This represents Sound Construction's third set of OSHA citations for trenching violations. According to federal records, the company was previously cited for three serious trenching safety violations at a 2016 worksite in Trumbull, Connecticut. The pattern points toward a decade-long failure to prioritize worker safety despite repeated warnings, penalties, a worker fatality, and enhanced federal monitoring.

The Sound Construction case occurs within a broader national crisis of trenching fatalities. The construction industry experienced its deadliest year since 2005 in 2022, prompting OSHA to announce enhanced nationwide enforcement and additional oversight. In 2022's first six months alone, 22 workers died in trenching accidents—surpassing all of 2021's fatalities. OSHA implemented a National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation in October 2018, establishing reporting systems and conducting over 1,000 trench inspections nationwide.

Trenching remains one of construction's deadliest hazards. A cubic yard of soil can weigh up to 3,000 pounds, equivalent to a compact car, meaning workers can be crushed and buried within seconds when trenches collapse. Federal OSHA statistics show approximately 25 workers are killed annually in trench-related incidents, with cave-ins causing three out of every four fatalities. Research indicates that 72% of trench fatalities occur in trenches less than nine feet deep, and 88% of incidents involve employers prioritizing schedule over safety.

OSHA investigations consistently demonstrate a set of common preventable failures in the industry: lack of protective systems (trench boxes, shoring, or sloping), inadequate training, absence of competent person inspections, and equipment operated too close to trench edges. Federal standards require protective systems on all trenches deeper than five feet, daily inspections by a competent work site inspector, and engineering designs for trenches exceeding 20 feet.

Current OSHA penalty structures reflect the severity of willful and repeat violations. As of January 15, 2025, maximum penalties range from $16,550 per serious violation to $165,514 per willful or repeated violation, with willful violations carrying a minimum penalty of $11,823. When violations result in worker deaths, OSHA may refer cases for criminal prosecution, which can result in imprisonment and fines up to $500,000 for corporations.

The Sound Construction case shows OSHA's increased appetite to pursue aggressive enforcement against employers with a poor track record. Companies with patterns of willful or repeated violations face placement in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates increased inspections, public disclosure, and difficult exit requirements.

Sound Construction has 15 business days from receipt of citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Key Points

• Company: Sound Construction Inc., Easton, Connecticut (concrete and earthwork contractor)
• Latest Citation: June 12, 2025 inspection in Stamford found 7 willful and 4 serious violations—proposed penalties $1,224,798
• Fatal Incident: December 2023 worker death in trench collapse at New Canaan worksite (caused by bodily crushing and asphyxiation)
• 2024 Investigation: Resulted in 2 willful and 5 serious violations from fatal incident, settlement agreement requiring monthly worksite reporting and allowing random OSHA inspections
• Prior History: 2016 citations for 3 serious trenching violations in Trumbull, Connecticut
• Violation Pattern: Third set of OSHA trenching citations spanning nearly a decade—demonstrates systematic safety failure
• 2025 Specific Failures: Failed to train workers on unsafe trenching hazards, provide adequate cave-in protection, require daily excavation inspections, follow trench shield installation standards, properly backfill shields to prevent hazardous movement
• Settlement Violation: Company violated 2024 settlement agreement—continued violations discovered during random inspection authorized by settlement
• National Crisis Context: 39 trench deaths in 2022 (double 2021's toll), average 25 annual fatalities nationwide, 72% occur in trenches under 9 feet
• OSHA Enforcement: Willful violations carry $11,823-$165,514 penalties; company faces potential Severe Violator Program designation, criminal referrals
• Worker Impact: Five employees exposed to cave-in hazards in fatal 2023 incident; workers exposed to similar hazards in 2025 inspection
• Industry Standard: Trench boxes/protective systems required for all trenches over 5 feet deep; daily competent person inspections mandatory

Primary Author: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Primary Source: OSHA News Release #25-1532-BOS - US Department of Labor cites Connecticut earthwork contractor for continued violations after follow-up inspection, proposes $1.2M fine

Primary Source Link: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/boston/20251215

Supplemental Sources

• DOL: Connecticut contractor cited for fatal New Canaan trench cave-in
• OSHA: Connecticut contractor cited for New Canaan trench violations
• Conn. contractor faces $394K after trench death
• OSHA: 39 Trench Deaths in 2022 – More Than Double 2021's Toll
• 18 workers die in trench collapses since deadly record in 2022
• Alarming rise in trench-related fatalities spurs enhanced enforcement
• OSHA Trenching and Excavation Overview
• Excavation and Trenching Stats and Facts
• OSHA Penalties