Repeat Trench Violations Bring $380K in Penalties
Excavation contractors in Illinois should audit cave-in protection and exit practices before inspectors arrive.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Construction
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The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced citations on October 21 against Always Underground LLC of Frankfort, Illinois, including three repeat cave-in protection violations and $380,664 in proposed penalties. Contractors doing trenching and excavation work in Illinois face a sharper enforcement focus on protective systems.
Why it matters
OSHA opened its inquiry after seeing employees in an unprotected trench deeper than 8 feet, under its National Emphasis Program on Trenching. The repeat nature of the citations, following three earlier Illinois trench and excavation citations, signals that regulators are treating prior violations as a pattern rather than isolated lapses.
OSHA's proposed penalties total $380,664 against Always Underground LLC, with three repeat violations for failure to provide cave-in protection. The company's prior Illinois citations carried fines of $16,550, $29,220 and $17,257, and the current inspection was triggered by workers observed in a trench deeper than 8 feet without protection.
The players
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
The federal agency that sets and enforces workplace safety standards, including trenching and excavation rules that apply to construction employers across the country.
Always Underground LLC
A Frankfort, Illinois underground construction contractor that has now received repeat trenching citations across several Illinois job sites.
The details
Trenches deeper than 5 feet generally require a protective system such as shoring, shielding or sloping to prevent cave-ins, and workers must have a safe way to exit. OSHA also cited the company for keeping spoil piles and equipment within 2 feet of a trench edge, which can add load and increase collapse risk. A separate serious violation was issued for workers not wearing hard hats on the site.
Timeline
August 18, 2022: Tinley Park trench violation that was later cited on January 4, 2023
January 4, 2023: Citation issued for the Tinley Park trench violations
July 31, 2023: Homer Glen trench violation that was later cited on November 15, 2023
November 15, 2023: Citation issued for the Homer Glen trench violations
October 21: OSHA announced the current citations and penalties
Market Landscape
OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Trenching directs inspectors to focus on excavation sites where unprotected trenches are visible. Contractors with a documented history of trench citations are now facing escalating penalties, and repeat findings raise the stakes for competitors bidding on similar underground utility and excavation work.
Excavation contractors should review their protective system practices, spoil placement and exit requirements before starting trench work. Owners should also confirm that subcontractors maintain compliant trenching procedures, since repeat citations can carry significantly higher penalties.
The takeaway
Construction firms doing trench work should audit cave-in protection and exit procedures now, before an inspection, since prior citations are increasingly treated as a basis for escalated penalties. Operators should track whether the company contests the citations within the 15-business-day window, as that outcome will show how the proposed penalties are resolved.
What happens next
Always Underground LLC has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore Construction news and trends across the sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Equipment World.
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