Atlantic Drain Services Inc.

Two construction workers drowned while working in a 14 feet deep unshored trench when the trench collapsed, burying the workers up to their waist in dirt. A fire hydrant supported by the collapsed dirt was suspended by its water line, which snapped, and filled the trench with water in seconds. Firefighters spent hours digging through the rubble to recover the two bodies. After the incident, the owner, Kevin Otto, sought to deceive authorities by forging employees' signatures to make it appear they had completed trench safety courses (which were required because of the company's earlier OSHA violations). The company has been cited numerous times and received repeat and willful citations. Otto and Atlantic Drain services had two prior OSHA violations in the past 10 years, and were required to undergo training as a result of those violations.