Bland Construction Co.

Description

Bland Construction Company was in the process of constructing a wasterwater line when a portion of a trench wall collapsed, killing Victor Nazario, an employee of the company. Gregorio Reza was operating a backhoe at the trench. Between 8:30 am and 9:00 am, Reza stopped his excavating work in order to straighten out a light that was used to check the trench' s grade. At that time, Nazario entered the trench to take grade pole measurements. While in the trench, the wall collapsed and Nazario was killed. One year prior to this accident, Bland received two citations alleging various trenching violations, including two instances of failure to perform sloping or shoring, apparently in soil. Reza was given an OSHA seminar and pamphlet on trenching safety, however it was in English, which he could not understand.

Prosecutors

County Attorney Kenneth Oden; Assistant Alia Moses