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Two construction workers drowned while working in a 14 feet deep unshored trench when the trench collapsed, burying the workers up to their waist in dirt. A fire hydrant supported by the collapsed dirt was suspended by its water line, which snapped, and filled the trench with water in seconds. Firefighters spent hours digging through the rubble to recover the two bodies. After the incident, the owner, Kevin Otto, sought to deceive authorities by forging employees’ signatures to make it appear they had completed trench safety courses (which were required because of the company’s earlier OSHA violations). The company has been cited numerous times and received repeat and willful citations. Otto and Atlantic Drain services had two prior OSHA violations in the past 10 years, and were required to undergo training as a result of those violations.
Dan Conley
Trench Collapse
Suffolk
Massachusetts
October 21, 2016
| First | Last | Age | Title | Employer | Injury Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelvin | Mattocks | 53 | Construction Worker | Atlantic Drain Services | Fatality |
| Robert | Higgins | 47 | Construction Worker | Atlantic Drain Services | Fatality |
| Name | Type | Title | Plea Information | Conviction Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Otto | Individual | Owner | Pleaded not guilty to the charges. | Otto was convicted of two counts of manslaughter. He was sentenced to two years in jail followed by three years probation. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Manslaughter; Misleading an Investigator; Concealing a Record |
Other Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
|||
| Atlantic Drain Services Inc. | Entity | Entity | Pleaded not guilty. | Convicted on manslaughter (two counts). Sentencing scheduled for December 4, 2019. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Manslaughter; Misleading an Investigator; Concealing a Record |
Other Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
|||