New Hampshire Firm Faces $167,000 OSHA Fine After Worker Death

A New Hampshire construction company faces over $167,000 in proposed fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, alleging it violated safety standards when a worker fell from scaffolding and died.

Fifty-eight-year-old Steven Sawyer of Dublin was working in September for Keene-based MacMillin Co. Inc., helping to erect scaffolding at Keene Middle School. A plank on which he was working snapped, resulting in a 27-foot fall.

An inspection found the scaffold had not been inspected for defects, the workers had not been adequately trained to erect it and MacMillin did not determine the feasibility of or ensure the use of fall protection.

CEO Bill Walker said MacMillin has been cooperating with OSHA. It has not received any safety or health violations from OSHA in six inspections since 2005.