Coverage note
OSHA Cites Florida Pipeline Contractor After March Fatality
Read the original at ISHN
Read “OSHA Cites Florida Pipeline Contractor After March Fatality” at ISHN →Machine-written summary. The paragraph and the list below were written by a language model reading ISHN's article, not by The 5:45's editors, and they describe that article rather than add to it. (model: @cf/ibm-granite/granite-4.0-h-micro) The original, linked above, is the actual reporting.
This article reports on an OSHA citation issued to a Florida pipeline installation contractor, T & T Pipeline Co. Inc., for willfully exposing workers to safety hazards following a fatal incident in March 2026. The incident highlights the critical importance of proper safety protocols when working with horizontal directional drilling machines, a critical aspect of pipeline construction and maintenance.
What ISHN reported
- OSHA cited T & T Pipeline Co. Inc. with a willful violation for exposing employees to struck-by hazards during horizontal directional drilling operations, resulting in a proposed $165,514 penalty.
- The fatal incident occurred on March 17, 2026, when a worker was struck by a rotating pipe stem while replacing a drill bit on a horizontal drilling machine at a New Smyrna Beach worksite.
- The incident underscores the critical need for stringent safety measures and proper training when operating heavy machinery in pipeline installation and maintenance.