OSHA fines company $35k for death of construction worker at East Texas plant

Daisy Escatel
·1 min read

CORRIGAN, Texas (KETK) – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined a company over $30,000 for a 2023 death of an employee who fell 70 feet in Corrigan.

Tyler Pipe Co. sued by Department of Labor after allegedly firing employee who raised safety concerns

According to the fatality report from OSHA, Samuel McKneely, 35, died falling 70 feet from an elevated tower on Sept. 27, 2023.

OSHA reportedly fined Noah Industrial LLC $35,258 after finding four violations.

The fatality report said the commercial jobsite was located in Corrigan where the construction worker was working on a new wood chip drying unit structure that was under construction.

The report listed the following violations:

  1. The employer failed to use a danger sign for unsecured grating and open holes. OSHA fined the company $6,222.

  2. OSHA fined the company $14,518 for failure to have metal decking panels immediately secured upon placement to prevent accidental movement or displacement.

  3. The employer reportedly failed to ensure metal decking panels were adequately supported by “structural members” during initial placement causing employees to be exposed to a fall hazard.

  4. OSHA fined the company $14,518, saying the employer failed to ensure employees were protected from fall hazards above 15 feet when they knew that steel decking/grating was not supported by structural members and secured.

KETK has reached out to Noah Industrial LLC for a comment but did not immediately hear back.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.