After Billerica Police Officer Killed, Massachusetts Safety Group Angers Contractor: 'Blatant Disregard for Workplace Safety'

Sergeant. Ian Taylor was killed on a construction site last month. (Middlesex DA photo courtesy)

The contractor involved in the tragic incident that killed a Billerica police officer is being criticized by a leading workplace safety group for past OSHA violations and for “continued ignored and blatant disregard for workplace safety.”

Sergeant. Ian Taylor, 49, died while working on a road construction site in Billerica last month. He was hit by a reversing excavator on the construction site. Taylor was taken to Lahey Hospital, where he later died.

Following the police officer’s death, contractor N. Granese and Sons is cited for previous violations of non-compliance with excavation site regulations.

“Construction sites and traffic accidents clearly continue to pose a very real threat to workers as many employers like N. Granese & Sons, Inc. continue to ignore and blatantly disregard worker safety,” said Al Vega of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH).

“We hope to honor Sergeant Taylor’s memory by raising awareness of these preventable incidents and continue to fight for companies to do more to prevent such tragedies in the future,” Vega added.

N. Granese and Sons was cited and fined for two OSHA violations related to excavation sites in the past five years.

One of those violations occurred at a location in Haverhill and resulted in a $4,000 settlement in 2019.

“Each employee on an excavation was not protected from collapse by an adequate protective system,” OSHA wrote of the violation.

Then in 2021, the contractor was again cited for violating this health and safety standard, this time in Newmarket, NH

OSHA is currently investigating N. Granese and Sons for the fatal incident in Billerica.

“The purpose is to determine whether there have been any violations of workplace safety standards,” an OSHA spokesman said in a statement.

OSHA has up to 6 months to complete the inspection.

N. Granese and Sons did not immediately respond to comment Tuesday.

The Billerica tragedy occurred less than an hour after MassCOSH’s Workers’ Memorial Day commemoration, where the group mourned the losses of the 62 people who died on the job last year.

Of those 62 workers, 22 fatalities were in the construction sector – making it the deadliest sector last year and more than doubling the number of construction deaths in 2022.

“Like every worker who has lost their job, we are deeply saddened by the news of Sergeant Taylor’s death,” said MassCOSH’s Vega. “We send our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones, who I know just laid him to rest last week and are still grieving. After mourning the 22 construction industry fatalities in 2023 just an hour before this tragic incident, it is heartbreaking to see another name added to the list of fatal workplace accidents.”

OSHA’s requirements for vehicle safety on construction sites include:

Do not operate a vehicle in reverse gear with limited rear visibility unless it has an audible backup alarm or another worker signals that it is safe to do so.
All vehicles must have adequate braking systems and other safety devices.
Workers must be clearly visible in all lighting conditions. High-visibility clothing such as red or orange vests are required; and if worn during night work, it must be made of reflective material.

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