The U.S. Department of Labor cited a Florida utility construction contractor for Duke Energy after one worker was fatally electrocuted and two others were severely injured at a Seminole site in August 2025, according to a department statement.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that a crew from Primoris Services Corp., operating as Primoris T&D Services LLC, was replacing a utility pole when the pole contacted an energized overhead transmission line. This incident resulted in the death of a lineman and sent two other workers to the hospital.
OSHA cited the employer with three serious violations. These included failing to ensure employees maintained the required minimum approach distance from exposed energized parts or had the transmission line deenergized, not assigning a designated observer to monitor approach distances and provide warnings, and not ensuring that job briefings covered special precautions required when working under energized transmission lines. OSHA proposed $49,650 in penalties.
The employer has contested the citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The department said penalties and citations may be adjusted throughout the course of the case process. The public is advised to check OSHA’s establishment search page periodically for updates on inspection or penalty status.
"On August 24, 2022, the Department of Labor announced $3.4 million Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants administered by the department’s Women’s Bureau and Employment and Training Administration. Phoenix, Arizona has been awarded $542,358 through the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation," according to an announcement by the Department of Labor.
More information about OSHA compliance assistance resources is available for employers seeking help with safety standards, according to the official roster page.
