Nikodem Zarembra, 27, of Elmwood Park, was buried for more than an hour and stopped breathing while in the trench in Buffalo Grove on Dec. 12, authorities said. He died later at a hospital. He was trying to fix a residential water line at the time of the collapse.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors determined his employer, Rooter Solutions Inc. of Burr Ridge, failed to install cave-in protection in the trench and did not require head protection, the agency announced Friday. The trench was about 13 feet long, 9 feet wide and 8 feet deep, OSHA said. Protective systems are required for trenches that are deeper than 5 feet .
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly The company was issued a citation for one willful violation and one serious violation with proposed penalties of nearly $36,000, WFLD-TV reported.Copyright AP - Associated Press