Harmony Utility Contractor Sentenced for Violating Workplace Safety Regulation that Resulted in the Death of an Employee

PITTSBURGH - A business headquartered in Harmony, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to three years’ probation and fined a total of $200,000 on its conviction of willfully violating a workplace safety regulation that resulted in the death of an employee, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Insight Pipe. LLC.

According to information presented to the court, on April 2, 2018, an Insight Pipe work crew was installing pipe-liner at a job site located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. A member of the crew had his hand on the side of a telehandler that was being to transfer a roll of liner from a box truck to an open manhole. At one point the transfer process, the telehandler’s forks came into contact with an overhead energized powerline. Upon the contact, the telehandler became energized and the worker was electrocuted to death. Under applicable federal safety regulations, the telehandler had to be operated in a manner to maintain a clearance of ten feet from the power line. Under the term of its plea agreement, Insight Pipe agreed to be placed on probation for a period of three years; pay a criminal fine of $20,000; and settle an administrative case with OSHA for $180,000.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Haines acknowledged that Insight Pipe had taken measures to improve its safety protocol following the accident.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leo Ivory prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Chung commended the Occupational Health and Safety Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Insight Pipe, LLC.