Jerlow Construction Co. was cited for one repeat and three serious OSHA violations and fined $85,173 after a 61-year-old pipe layer died in a nine-foot trench collapse near Shawnee, Oklahoma in February 2024 — the company's fourth trenching-related OSHA violation since 2018.

Jerlow Construction Co. — Pipe Layer Killed in Trench Collapse Near Shawnee, Oklahoma (2024)

Outcome: A 61-year-old pipe layer died in February 2024 when a nine-foot trench collapsed during water line installation near Shawnee, Oklahoma; OSHA cited Jerlow Construction Co. for one repeat and three serious violations and proposed $85,173 in penalties — the company's fourth trenching-related violation since 2018.

In February 2024, a worker employed by Jerlow Construction Co. of Edmond, Oklahoma was performing water line installation work at a residential site near Shawnee when a nine-foot-deep trench collapsed without warning. The worker, a 61-year-old pipe layer, was buried and died.

OSHA's investigation found that workers had been allowed to work in the trench without any required protective system — no shielding, benching, or sloping that would prevent a cave-in. The employer had not trained workers on excavation hazards and had not conducted required daily trench inspections. The repeat violation classification reflected the company's history of prior trenching citations going back to 2018. OSHA determined the company "disregarded safety regulations despite having a history of workplace safety violations dating back to 2018, including three related to the dangers in underground trenches." The agency proposed $85,173 in penalties.

Primary Source: US Department of Labor finds Edmond contractor's history of safety violations contributed to fatal trench collapse near Shawnee