Hildale Company Fined for Child Labor Violation
 
By Kallee Nielson
The Spectrum
 
ST. GEORGE -- A Hildale excavating company was fined $6,000 after two boys, about 12 years old, were sighted on an excavation site.

One of the boys reportedly climbed into the cab of a road grader and started to move it on the site at SunRiver phase 15, according to the citation issued by the Utah Labor Commission's Occupational Safety and Health Division.

Under state and federal law, children under the age of 18 are not allowed to work near excavation operations or operate heavy equipment.

The Spectrum was unable to reach a spokesperson at R & W Excavating.

According to an inspection report, the construction foreman told the inspector the children were the company owner's sons and it was a Saturday.

The matter was dealt with through OSHA, as would any situation of that nature, said Danl Lindsay of SunRiver.

Carol Sapp, Southern Utah Home Builders Association executive director, said she is aware that there have been some issues with children on construction sites, but she has not been receiving calls from her membership concerning those problems.

Sapp said there are full-time investigators from the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing and Utah OSHA.

While investigators cannot be everywhere, Sapp said SUHBA tries to educate its members with notices and articles regarding regulations.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published November 18, 2004
 
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