Columbia’s fine in worker death reduced to $5,500

The city of Columbia must pay $5,500 in workplace safety fines, hire a safety consultant and conduct more training on rescue procedures in the wake of a February cave-in death of a city worker.

City officials reached an agreement Aug. 12 with state regulators in the death of Marvis Myers, 31. He died Feb. 6 while trying to repair a leaking sewer line in a 7-by-22-foot trench at Pulaski and College streets. As Myers walked to a ladder in the trench, a collapse pinned him in the trench, according to investigators.

He had worked as a utilities repairman for 15 months, city personnel director Pam Benjamin said.

The settlement reduces the city’s fine from $12,000 initially imposed by the state office of Occupational Safety and Health. OHSA is an arm of the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Columbia officials do not admit to facts or assertions alleged in the safety complaint, the settlement documents shows. The agreement was reached for financial reasons, the paperwork indicates.

The fines are due by Sept. 15, said Chip Timmons, who worked on the case for the city.

Under the agreement, the city will have the consultant perform job hazard analyzes for a year on sewer repair work and fire rescue procedures. About 75 sewer repair workers and the four fire department personnel who tried to dig Myers out of the trench will undergo refresher training, Benjamin and Timmons said.

The city must submit documentation of the hiring of the consultant and the scope of the consultant’s work. The consultant will be hired soon, Timmons said.

No lawsuit has been filed in the case, said Benjamin, who is not related to Mayor Steve Benjamin.