POUGHKEEPSIE – Onekey, LLC, a New Jersey construction company, and its principal, Finbar O’Neill, 57, have been charged by Information with violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, resulting in the death of a construction worker on August 3, 2017.
The federal charges claim that Onekey and O’Neill failed to warn workers about the dangers of the stability of a concrete wall without consulting with a qualified person to determine whether the wall could withstand the weight.
The wall at the construction site at 1 Dutchess Avenue in Poughkeepsie, collapsed killing the victim. The original Mid-Hudson News story, as reported from the scene can be found here.
It was alleged that the company and its principal endangered the safety of their workers by disregarding regulations and taking shortcuts to sidestep their safety obligations.
“This conduct led to the death of a worker on a construction site. Today’s charges should serve as a reminder to small business that failure to comply with safety regulations can lead to unnecessary and preventable tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
Onekey, LLC is charged with one count of willful violation of OSHA regulations resulting in death. The company faces a maximum fine of $500,000.
O’Neill, of Paramus, New Jersey, is charged with one count of violation of OSHA regulations resulting in death. That charge carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
