Pike Electric fines and lawsuits

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I have a new hobby. every day I will post a news story about what a dangerous company Pike Electric is

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OSHA proposes safety fine at Pike Electric in MobileWorker near USA was badly injured in May when trench collapsed onto himSaturday, September 06, 2008 By Jeff AmyBusiness ReporterFederal workplace safety officials have proposed a $63,000 fine against Pike Electric Inc. after a trench collapsed and severely injured a worker earlier this year.The company, which builds and maintains power lines, was doing work near the corner of Old Shell and Hillcrest roads, near the University of South Alabama, when the cave-in happened May 6, according to federal records.A statement from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that the walls of the trench were "near-vertical." Spokesman Michael Wald said the worker was hospitalized after the collapse, although he was unable to say whether the worker was permanently impaired.Pike's Michael Heath declined to comment Friday.Federal safety rules call for trenches to be sloped or held up by a supporting structure, such as a metal frame, to keep workers from being crushed by collapsing dirt."Pike Electric has lots of experience in trenching, but the company's management still failed to take basic preventative measures that could have saved this employee from harm," Clyde Payne, interim director of OSHA's Mobile office, said in a statement.The company was fined over two separate infractions ? $56,000 for a willful rule violation for failing to protect workers in the trench, and $7,000 for piling excavated dirt too close to the side of the trench. Based in Mount Airy, N.C., Pike Electric (NYSE: PEC) commonly does work for Alabama Power Co. and other electric utilities throughout the South and Midwest.In its most recent budget year, it reported profits of $20.2 million on revenues of $552 million.The company has 15 days to appeal the violations and fine to the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, or it can request an informal settlement with the head of the Mobile OSHA office.Fines are commonly reduced through such appeals and settlements. For example, in the past five years, OSHA has proposed $246,680 in fines against Pike throughout the nation, according to the agency's online record of completed cases, but after appeals and settlements, the company has paid only $70,430.50....

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Pike Electric Corporation Endures Analyst Downgrade; PIKE, SPWRA, CAEITuesday, 10 November 2009 06:40 FBR Capital gave the General Contractors industry some bad news as it announced a downgrade on one of its stocks.*Pike Electric Corporation (PIKE) [Chart - News - Analysis] was downgraded from Outperform » Mkt Perform on 11/10/2009---a negative sign for the stock that investors will have to endure. FYI, FBR Capital uses the following rating scale when analyzing stocks: Outperform, Mkt Perform, Underperform.*when existing or potential investors google Pike Electric I hope they open this link.

[Bull Dog]

Why doesn't someone pull these bastards contractors license and give them a job at Burger King? I guess you would have to keep them away from the hot oil. No seriously how many chances do a holes like this get till someone with the authority says ENOUGH! Can they go on forever killing and maiming people? A union shop would run these bastards out of business real fast. Can't something be done?

[topgroove]

Why doesn't someone pull these bastards contractors license and give them a job at Burger King? I guess you would have to keep them away from the hot oil. No seriously how many chances do a holes like this get till someone with the authority says ENOUGH! Can they go on forever killing and maiming people? A union shop would run these bastards out of business real fast. Can't something be done?

here's why...Cherie Berry Should Return Campaign Contributions From Companies She RegulatesLabor & EconomyPress ReleasePublic Safety & OversightCharlotte Observer Finds Donors Get “Bigger than Average” BreaksRepublican Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry should return campaign contributions from companies her department regulates, said NCDP Chairman Jerry Meek.A Charlotte Observer story published this week found contributors to Berry’s campaign got “bigger than average breaks” on fines for workplace safety violations.Pike Electric faced a significant worker safety case when employees and the company’s political action committee gave about $60,000 to her 2000 campaign. The case was settled in 2002 with the proposed fines, $56,700, reduced to $3,200.House of Raeford executives and managers have donated $15,000 to Berry’s campaigns. The company was cited for more than 60 serious violations, including those following chemical accidents that killed one worker and hospitalized 17. Inspectors proposed $117,000 in fines, but the final bill was $3,200."Our workers' safety should not be compromised by Cherie Berry's need for campaign cash,” Meek said. “ Time and time again, Cherie Berry has proven that she's more interested in looking out for her political supporters than in enforcing workplace safety regulations."“Returning these contributions would allow her to assume some responsibility for the agency she claims to oversee,” Meek said. “Every dollar Berry takes from these companies is one less dollar they can count on not paying as long as Berry is in office.”“North Carolina needs a Labor Commissioner who is responsible and responsive to workers as well as companies" .

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PIKE ELECTRIC INC FEDERAL PAC Candidate Contributions: 2007-2008 Campaign Cycle Total 2007-2008 campaign contributions:* $4000 Sort by: *** Total *** | *** Name *** | *** State *** | *** PartyCandidate Total Graham, Lindsey (R-SC) $2000 Foxx, Virginia (R-NC) $2000 this was for congressmen I wonde how much they've contributed to judges and district attorney's.

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On the day of the accident, Samuel Hartzell (victim) reported for work at the Pike Electric shop at 7:00 a.m., his regular starting time. He, along with Kelly Sowards, class A lineman, and Frank Terry and John Cato, groundsmen, were scheduled to complete the new service installation for the old Fluid Machinery Corporation (FMC) shop located on mine property. The shop was to be put into service at a later date. They discussed the work to be performed and the procedures that were to be used before traveling to the job site. They arrived at the mine at 8:00 a.m.. Their job was to finish wiring the bank of three, 100 KVA transformers that had been installed on September 2, 1999, and install a second utility pole with cross arms to support the distribution lines, consisting of (4) spans of #2 ACSR (Aluminum conductors steel reinforce) wire and connect the shop to a dead set of service lines about 520 feet away. The first pole was 45 feet in length and supported the three transformers. The second pole, a 40-foot pole, was located approximately 114 feet from the first pole and was used as an intermediate support for the new power lines. The new service lines had to cross under an energized 44,000-volt high-voltage distribution circuit. They had set and anchored the first pole without incident. While drilling the hole for the second pole they encountered rock about four feet down and could not drill any deeper because the drive shaft broke on the drill truck. Normally, poles were set between four and six feet deep, so they set the second pole at four feet. The first section of wires were then installed from the first pole to the second pole and secured to the insulators. The crew then decided to walk the wires up to the dead set of service lines and set the equipment up so they would be ready to anchor the pole after the truck was repaired. The guy lines could be installed to the second pole, once the pole was anchored. At about 3:10 p.m., Hartzell walked the outside unenergized phase conductor, which was lying on the ground, to check for tangles and kinks in the wire. While handling and straightening the new power line, Hartzell apparently pulled with enough force to cause the conductor he was holding to come in contact with, or in close proximity to, one of the 44,000-volt conductors, enabling electricity to travel through the line he was holding. Terry and Cato heard a loud buzzing sound and saw a blue flame traveling in the vicinity where the two spans of wires crossed. Meanwhile, Sowards was setting up the boom truck and heard a loud cracking sound. He turned and saw Hartzell laying on the ground. Apparently, an electrical flash occurred which energized the line Hartzell had been holding. Two co-workers ran to him and immediately administered CPR, while another called 911. The Tryon Fire Department arrived at 3:16 p.m. and continued to administer CPR. The victim was alive but was having difficulty breathing. Local emergency services arrived at 3:25 p.m. and transported the victim to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:15 p.m. as a result of electrocution.

[KingRat]

Why doesn't someone pull these bastards contractors license and give them a job at Burger King? I guess you would have to keep them away from the hot oil. No seriously how many chances do a holes like this get till someone with the authority says ENOUGH! Can they go on forever killing and maiming people? A union shop would run these bastards out of business real fast. Can't something be done?

I guess you haven't been following THIRO -one of your union shops in Mass.-they had ANOTHER safety stand-down.

[returntotheeve]

I guess you haven't been following THIRO -one of your union shops in Mass.-they had ANOTHER safety stand-down.

Don't leave it like that. Fill us in.

Tell us about the incident and the stand down, please.

[loodvig]

I agree what has THIRO done now? I think Thiro is from Canada but hire local hands. Most of the general foremen only speak french!