A Woburn man has been found responsible for unsafe work conditions that led to the death of a worker in Hanson, as per a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor. Aleckssandro Tomaz Pereira, who oversaw three construction companies in Massachusetts, was found to have potentially prevented the incident in which an employee died while laying a concrete foundation at a Hanson construction site. The investigation revealed that Pereira allegedly instructed the victim to work in an unstable trench, leading to the collapse of the surrounding foundation on the employee.
OSHA investigators discovered several safety violations by Pereira, including not providing a safe exit from the trench, inadequate training for employees, failure to waterproof the trench, and allowing the employee to dig beneath unsupported foundation walls. The agency cited Pereira for two willful code violations and six serious violations, imposing a proposed penalty of $283,115. Pereira has 15 days to comply with the findings or contest them.
OSHA Area Director James Mulligan stated that the tragedy was entirely preventable and emphasized the importance of ensuring worker safety on construction sites. The incident underscores the importance of following safety regulations and providing adequate training to prevent such accidents in the future.
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