A contractor working on Yarmouth’s massive sewer and wastewater project has been fined nearly $4.7 million for safety violations at worksites in Yarmouth.
The violations by Revoli Construction relate to the collapse of a trench on South Shore Drive in South Yarmouth on Nov. 18, 2025. One workman died and another was trapped for several hours before he was rescued.
Thirty-three of the 57 citations were repeat violations and some are considered “willful” by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Seventeen are deemed “serious.”
After the fatal trench collapse, Yarmouth officials closed the work site. The town and the contractor then agreed to enhanced oversight of work sites.
Yarmouth Select Board member Mark Forest told CAI the town was disappointed with Rivoli’s work even before the November incident, but there have been no incidents since the November collapse. Revoli’s contract with the town is nearly complete, although the overall wastewater project is far from done. Various contractors have signed to do different portions of the job.
“These are clearly very serious charges. It’s no surprise to us. Yarmouth has raised a series of issues with the contractor throughout their work at the site and the town has had real difficulties getting them to comply with issues we deemed appropriate.”
Forest said the town considered terminating its contract with Revoli, but because thew work is being done in commercial and residential areas that are vital to Yarmouth’s summertime economy, the decision was made to allow Revoli to continue, but with increased oversight.
Documents relating to the enforcement list repeated violations prior to the fatal incident. Some examples:
On or about Oct. 23 of last year, Revoli, “did not ensure that employees working in excavations greater than 4 feet deep were provided with a means of egress” at a site on Shoreside Drive.
On Oct. 17 of last year, Revoli did not “protect employees from cave-in hazards when working in and around openexcavations greater than five feet in depth.”
On Nov. 18, the day of the fatal accident, OSHA found violations it called willful and serious. One said Revoli did not protect employees from cave-in hazards in excavations deeper than five feet. Another said the company did not protect employees from “fall hazards” in open excavations, “where the stability, strength and structural integrity of the ground surrounding the excavation is inadequate.”
Revoli has the right to contest the findings.
Yarmouth Town Administrator Robert Whritenour, Jr. said the penalty levied against Revoli, “is the largest fine in New England in over a quarter-century, and may rank in the top ten nation-wide in history.”
Whritenhour said that while the findings are still considered “alleged” at this point, “this represents a major enforcement action for OSHA.”
Revoli Construction has not responded to requests for comment.
