| Hawkins Construction Company, Inc., Issue No. 4 |
December 2002
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The Contractors Critic
HAWKINS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, Inc. Reporting on Safety, Productivity, and Honesty in the Construction Industry.
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injuries & Massive litigation
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HAWKINS CONSTRUCTION SETTLES VIOLATIONS OF JOB SAFETY LAWS
BEFORE A HEARING BEGINS – OSHA LETS HAWKINS OFF THE HOOK
On January 11, 2001 OSHA
issued a citation against Hawkins Construction for two serious violations of job
safety laws at a construction site for a chapel and mausoleum in West Omaha. The
citations charged that Hawkins Construction’s breaches, "created a substantial
possibility that death or serious injury could result."
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OSHA proposed $3,400 in fines
against Hawkins
Construction for the violations. |
Specifically, the OSHA violations against Hawkins Construction
charged that the company had failed to properly secure propane cylinders that
were being stored on uneven, previously excavated ground, and that they failed
to provide proper scaffolding and didn’t inspect the scaffolding for defects.
Hawkins Construction provided only 3/4"-thick plywood as flooring for the
scaffolds. OSHA proposed a $1,700 fine against Hawkins Construction for the
scaffolding violations and another $1,700 for the propane cylinder storage
violation.
Although Hawkins Construction is a large company with over 400
employees, OSHA only rated their Safety and Health Program as "average."
Hawkins Construction appealed the citation, but agreed to a
settlement before the beginning of the Administrative Law Judge hearing. OSHA
agreed to withdraw both counts of the citation and to waive the fines.
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HAWKINS CONSTRUCTION’S SUBCONTRACTOR HOUNDS THE BOY SCOUTS
WITH A LIEN
| The Contractors Critic
has previously written about how Hawkins Construction’s jobs have resulted in
litigation with some of the icons of Nebraska — including court suits with Boys
Town and Creighton University. Now, in a lien filed August 27, 2002, a Hawkins
Construction subcontractor has decided to go after the Boy Scouts, too. On that
date, Hawkins Construction’s subcontractor, Window Technologies, filed a
construction lien against real estate in Walton, Nebraska. The people with an
interest in this real estate were the Boy Scouts of America, Outdoor Education
Center, and Cornhusker Council.
Who will be the next Nebraska icon to be caught in the net of Hawkins
Construction-inspired litigation and liens? The University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Cornhusker football team? | | | | | | |
