The companies face $648,094 in proposed fines, and three were cited for willful violations, meaning OSHA believes they knowingly ignored excavation safety rules.

Workers at a planned commercial development in Monroe, New York, were exposed to cave-in and struck-by hazards from an excavation whose unstable, nearly 75-foot-high wall lacked adequate sloping or shoring, OSHA alleges.

The agency issued five willful and 23 serious citations to the general contractor and five subcontractors. OSHA alleges the employers did not protect workers from cave-ins, struck-by hazards or chemical hazards, and did not guard them against rock and soil falling or rolling from the excavation face. The employers also allegedly failed to have a competent person inspect the excavation each day.

Willful citations for cave-in and struck-by exposure went to general contractor Advanced Plan and Build LLC, subcontractor The Paving Masters LLC and subcontractors Parkstone Inc. and Obstacle Systems Inc., operating as Drip Drop Waterproofing Inc. Advanced Plan and Build and The Paving Masters were also cited as willful because a registered professional engineer did not design the excavation, which measured 21 to 75 feet deep.

Subcontractors Century Max Industries Corp., DelValle Contractor and Prime Structure Inc. received serious citations for cave-in and struck-by hazards. DelValle and Parkstone and Obstacle Systems were also cited for serious fall protection and chemical hazard violations.

Proposed penalties are $198,615 for Parkstone and Obstacle Systems, $188,684 for The Paving Masters, $175,444 for Advanced Plan and Build, $46,340 for Century Max Industries, $19,860 for Prime Structure and $19,151 for DelValle Contractor.

The case began with an allegation of collapse and struck-by hazards at the Monroe Commons project, also known as the Magna Square development. Plans call for a four-story, roughly 408,000-square-foot building with retail, offices and a 39-room hotel on 18 acres.

The citations and penalties are proposed. Each employer has 15 business days from receipt to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. OSHA provides trenching and excavation safety resources on its website.

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