Bloomington-based Stark Excavating faces $247,000 in proposed OSHA fines

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/12/03/money/doc4936b465cc1d9137748918.txt

By Michelle Koetters
[e-mail]

BLOOMINGTON -- A Bloomington excavating business faces the possibility of nearly $250,000 in fines for alleged safety violations.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $247,000 in fines against Stark Excavating Inc. for alleged violations of federal workplace safety standards at job sites in Peoria and Champaign. No one was injured at the sites.

“Stark takes this matter very seriously. We place the highest priority on the safety of our employees and are committed to our core value of safety in our operations. We look forward to presenting our position to OSHA,” the company said in a statement Wednesday morning, declining further comment.

OSHA notified Stark of the citations Tuesday in response to the end of investigations started this summer, said Brad Mitchell, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Labor in Chicago.

“These are allegations,” Mitchell said. “We’re alleging that they violated the OSHA acts in these matters.”

OSHA initiated an investigation in Peoria outside of a Starbucks at 3708 N. Prospect Road in June. Construction work involved the installation of a fire hydrant, said Nick Walters, director of OSHA’s area office in Peoria.

FULL story at link.