Idaho construction company appeals OSHA findings

An Idaho construction company is formally appealing findings that it failed to properly train and protect its employees.

The Idaho Statesman reports that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration found a lack of training by Hard Rock Construction was a factor when two workers died in a Boise trench collapse.

Bert Smith Jr. of Caldwell and Ernesto Saucedo of Nampa were killed when the 9- to 11-foot deep trench they were working in collapsed on May 3. A third worker was injured but survived. Local OSHA head Dave Kearns says the third worker is probably permanently disabled.

OSHA has issued $77,319 in fines against Hard Rock.

The company didn’t return a call from The Associated Press on Thursday.

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Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com