US Department of Labor investigation finds Frisco contractor again exposing workers to potentially deadly trench collapse

FORT WORTH, TX – A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found a Frisco contractor repeatedly exposed workers to serious hazards by sending them into unprotected trenches without providing a means of escape. 

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated Bandera Utility Contractors LLC in July 2024 in response to a formal complaint and observed employees working on water and sewer lines in a trench that lacked an adequate protective system as required. Their activities included trench excavation, laser surveying and work using hand and powered tools.

In addition to a lack of protective system, OSHA inspectors noted that the company failed to provide employees with basic safety measures, such as sufficient ladders in the trench and a safe means of escape in the event of a collapse. In 2022, OSHA cited Bandera Utility for four serious violations of similar safety regulations after a 41-year-old employee repairing a sewer line suffered fatal injuries in a trench collapse.

“Failing to protect workers during trenching operations is reckless and unacceptable, especially when the risks are widely recognized,” said OSHA Area Director Timothy Minor in Fort Worth, Texas. “Bandera Utility Contractors has a duty to protect its workers from cave-ins, and OSHA will continue to enforce federal laws to ensure compliance. Implementing and remembering the three S’s – slope, shore and shield – can save lives and enhance jobsite safety.”

OSHA has assessed Bandera with $107,228 in proposed penalties.

Greystar Development and Construction LP of Dallas, a global housing development and management company, had subcontracted Bandera Utility to work on a commercial project in Fort Worth. 

Founded in 2015, Bandera Utility Contractors LLC is an underground utility construction company that focuses on water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems. 

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Learn more about OSHA and trenching and excavation safety.