The U.S. Department of Labor has cited an Orlando-based pipeline contractor for willfully exposing workers to safety hazards following a fatality at a New Smyrna Beach worksite in March 2026.
On March 17, 2026, employees of T & T Pipeline Co. Inc. were replacing a drill bit on a horizontal drilling machine when the pipe stem began to rotate and fatally struck a worker, the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said.
OSHA cited the employer with a willful violation for exposing employees to struck-by hazards when working on a horizontal directional drilling machine. The agency proposed $165,514 in penalties.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.