Companies cited for worker death at sewer plant

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is citing a St. Louis County company for 14 safety violations in response to the death of a worker.

OSHA announced the citations Thursday against Coatings Unlimited Inc. of Bridgeton. An employee, 53-year-old Steve Webb, died in August while working inside an 18-foot-deep vault manhole during construction of a sanitary sewer lift station in St. Charles. Webb was overcome by exposure to methyl ethyl ketone.

St. Louis-based KCI Construction Co., the general contractor for the project, was cited for one violation. OSHA proposed penalties of $224,000 for Coatings Unlimited and $5,600 for kCi Construction.

Coatings Unlimited says the OSHA citations are the first in its 58-year history and it will work with the agency. A kCi official declined to comment.