OSHA said it conducted the investigation as part of the agency’s National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Trenching and Excavation. Under the NEP, OSHA inspectors increase enforcement at excavation and trenching jobsites. Since these types of projects can begin and end quickly, the agency has a strategy for catching violations before contractors pack up and move on.
As part of the NEP guidelines, investigators are directed to inspect any open trench or open excavation they might encounter, even if they don’t observe a violation at first glance.
