20.03.2012

Verizon fined to the max

In the USA federal OSHA has cited telephone and communications conglomerate Verizon Communications Inc. for the maximum fine of $140,700 for 10 alleged safety violations in connection with the electrocution of an employee last year while using an aerial work platform.

The company has disputed the findings and says that it will appeal the ruling.

Douglas Lalima, 37, died in Brooklyn, New York, last September as he attached steel suspension strands to a utility pole while using a bucket truck. He inadvertently came into contact with a live power line and caught fire. Click here to see the original incident report

An OSHA inspection found that Lalima wasn't wearing insulated gloves at the time of the incident and in spite of the fact that he was a 15 year veteran of the company, he had never received proper safety training.
Verizon was cited for similar violations in 2007 after an employee died in
Providence, Rhode Island, thus the imposition of the maximum penalty.

Verizon has 15 working days to appeal the decision and is due to meet OSHA officials shortly.

OSHA also cited Verizon for several other ‘serious’ safety hazards, the steel suspension strands weren't grounded during the installation, some employees weren't wearing hard hats, some of the protective equipment hadn't been inspected, and employees weren't trained to take proper safety precautions.
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The utility truck after the accident

OSHA said: “Verizon was fined the maximum for five serious violations. All of these conditions are serious in the sense that they were life-threatening hazards. The recurring nature of these hazards is disturbing."

A statement issued by Verizon said: "Verizon has extensive safety practices in place that are designed to prevent incidents like this one from occurring, and which are thoroughly and continually reviewed with employees."

A union health and safety official, commenting on the issue, has been reported as stating that the company has experienced eight power line related fatalities since 2002 and criticising the company’s safety and training efforts.

Verizon generates annual revenues of $110 billion and works in the fields of telephone, wireless connections and television.