Massachusetts Construction Company Pleads Guilty to Fatal OSHA Violation
A Massachusetts construction company has taken a plea deal in federal court, admitting to willfully violating workplace safety rules that led to the fatal injury of an employee. John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete, Inc., based in East Freetown, pleaded guilty to violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards after an employee was killed by heavy machinery at the company's worksite.
The incident occurred on September 6, 2023, when a worker, identified as Josué Tiquiram, a migrant from Guatemala, was working alongside his uncle on the tail conveyor of a large soil screener. The machine had previously suffered a ruptured hydraulic pressure line and had unexpectedly closed on several occasions in the years leading up to the deadly incident.
Prosecutors alleged that the company failed to provide any safety device to prevent the conveyor from closing, putting the worker at risk. The victim was attempting to remove a bolt when the tail conveyor suddenly closed, crushing his head. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
The company's president, Michael Oliveira, admitted to violating OSHA standards and faces up to five years of probation, a fine of up to $500,000, and restitution to the victim's estate. The plea deal comes as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Josué Tiquiram's uncle, Maximo Tiquiram Quinilla, described his nephew as "not wearing a helmet" and stated that he did not believe the company required its employees to wear protective gear. The victim had left his home country in Guatemala 18 months prior to his death in search of work.
The guilty plea marks a significant step towards accountability for the tragic incident, but many questions remain unanswered about how such a catastrophic failure occurred and whether similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
A Massachusetts construction company has taken a plea deal in federal court, admitting to willfully violating workplace safety rules that led to the fatal injury of an employee. John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete, Inc., based in East Freetown, pleaded guilty to violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards after an employee was killed by heavy machinery at the company's worksite.
The incident occurred on September 6, 2023, when a worker, identified as Josué Tiquiram, a migrant from Guatemala, was working alongside his uncle on the tail conveyor of a large soil screener. The machine had previously suffered a ruptured hydraulic pressure line and had unexpectedly closed on several occasions in the years leading up to the deadly incident.
Prosecutors alleged that the company failed to provide any safety device to prevent the conveyor from closing, putting the worker at risk. The victim was attempting to remove a bolt when the tail conveyor suddenly closed, crushing his head. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
The company's president, Michael Oliveira, admitted to violating OSHA standards and faces up to five years of probation, a fine of up to $500,000, and restitution to the victim's estate. The plea deal comes as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Josué Tiquiram's uncle, Maximo Tiquiram Quinilla, described his nephew as "not wearing a helmet" and stated that he did not believe the company required its employees to wear protective gear. The victim had left his home country in Guatemala 18 months prior to his death in search of work.
The guilty plea marks a significant step towards accountability for the tragic incident, but many questions remain unanswered about how such a catastrophic failure occurred and whether similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
This is just awful, can't believe a company would put profits over safety like that 
. I mean, come on, you've had issues with the machine closing unexpectedly for years and they still didn't do anything to fix it or train their employees on how to use it safely? It's just so reckless and irresponsible 
. And now this poor guy is dead because of it 
. The fact that his uncle thought he didn't need a helmet, that's just crazy 
. I hope the company pays for what they did, but a fine of $500k just doesn't seem like enough given how negligent they were 
.
my cousin's brother was a construction worker once and he always talks about how bad safety is on those job sites it's crazy they didn't even have a safety device to prevent the conveyor from closing like 5 years ago it just happened to happen so close to home i feel for the guy's family i hope his uncle gets some help too, that poor guy left his whole life behind to come here in search of work and now he's gone 
this is just another example of corporate negligence causing devastating consequences 
. And what really gets me is that the victim's uncle seems more concerned about not wearing a helmet 
. We need to do better, folks 
.
. Like, how hard is it to install a simple guard on that machine? And why did no one else notice before it happened again? 
It's just another example of companies cutting corners to save cash, and workers being left to pay the price 
. Where are the real consequences for putting lives at risk?
They should've seen this coming, with all those hydraulic pressure line issues and no safety devices in place. It's just basic common sense, you know? 
Josue was tryna do his job but the machine 4got to be fixed & it crushed him 
But we need 2 know how this happened & wut can b done 2 prevent these kinda incidents in the future 
. I mean, can you even imagine having to leave your family behind to work in another country just for stability? 
It's devastating that Josué Tiquiram was killed over something as simple as a broken safety device 
.
. I hope this case sparks some serious changes in the industry 
. And now they're getting a slap on the wrist for it? Not buying it 
. I mean, a fine of up to $500k and probation? That's not exactly "safety" enforcement if you ask me 
) out there getting crushed by machines. Anyway, I guess that's the price of progress, right? 
to ensure workplace safety. Employers gotta take responsibility for their workers' lives 
. The fact that the victim's uncle didn't think a helmet was necessary is just mind-boggling 
!
still doesn't feel like enough considering the circumstances