Contractor with Long History of Trench Violations Faces $4.7M Fine After Fatality

When a worker died in a trench collapse in November, it marked a long history of repeat violations by Revoli Construction Company Inc. of Franklin, Massachusetts, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The cave-in November 18 in Yarmouth killed Miguel Alexandre Reis, 61, and seriously injured another worker who was buried up to his waist. A third worker was able to escape the trench on his own.

Now, Revoli is facing proposed penalties totaling $4,699,362 from OSHA, which issued seven willful, 17 serious and 33 repeat violations April 1 for the fatal incident.

According to OSHA, while workers were inside a trench on a sewer installation project, others were removing sandy soil and installing steel plates outside of the trench. Backfilled sand then collapsed on the workers in the trench, burying Reis. Another worker was buried up to his waist and was airlifted to the hospital for serious injuries.

Reis is survived by his wife and two adult children.

57 Violations

For this incident, Revoli faces 57 violations, 33 of which are repeat, according to OSHA. They include:

• Lack of adequate cave-in protection.
• Using a damaged protective system.
• Failing to provide workers with a safe way to exit the trench.
• Having unsupported underground utilities.
• Maintaining spoil piles within 2 feet of an excavation.
• Neglecting to install a shoring system per the design.
• Exposing employees to numerous electrical and fall hazards.

“This cave-in is a solemn reminder of the dangers construction workers face when basic safety procedures and safe engineering solutions are ignored,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.  

Long History of Violations

Revoli has been cited by OSHA for violations as far back as 1995.

Most recently, it was fined by OSHA for these violations:

• February 4, 2025 — Fined $6,950 for an incident December 18, 2024, in South Yarmouth when “workers were exposed to arc flash, electrical burns, electric shock and electrocution when electrical extension cords with indoor-rated connectors were left lying on wet ground,” OSHA reported.
• November 17, 2023 — Fined $5,625 for an incident August 16, 2023, in Littleton in which “two employees were allowed to work inside an unprotected trenching excavation that ranged from 5.5 to 7.5 feet in depth and were exposed to a potential cave-in from the unsupported walls of the excavation,” according to OSHA.

The company was also fined in 1999 after a worker was found in an excavation with no trench box or other cave-in protection by an OSHA inspector, according to an Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission order. The worker was the nephew of company owner Shawqi Alsarabi and had been reprimanded previously for working in an unprotected trench. Alsarabi testified that he fired his nephew and suspended the foreman on the job for a day. The company was fined $63,000, according to the OSHRC order upholding the fine.

The order also indicated there had been trench violations in 1995, 1996, and one in 1998 in which a worker was injured after being partially buried in a cave-in.

In 2005, Revoli faced proposed fines of $115,900 for inadequate cave-in protection on a waterline installation in Gloucester. Two workers were spotted in a 14-foot-deep trench without cave-in protection or a ladder, among other violations.

“Through our trench safety initiatives, the Department of Labor remains committed to ensuring every worker returns home safe at the end of the day,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “We will continue holding employers accountable and providing resources dedicated to hazard training and required engineering controls to put a stop to these preventable tragedies.”

Revoli can appeal the proposed penalties and violations within 15 days.