The Moeves Plumbing Company had been reprimanded for unsafe practices, particularly for failing to properly secure dig sites when laying pipe. Only weeks before the death of Patrick Walters in an accident involving improperly secured ditch digging and support, the company had been reprimanded again. When workers had approached the company, they had been given the impression they had two choices - they could either continue working in the unsafe conditions or quit their jobs. Indeed, Walters' death was not the first for the Moeves company, as Clint Daley had died in a similar accident thirteen years prior. Criminal charges against the company can only be brought if the employer is found to cause death through "willful" violation of safety standards.
- Was the behavior of the Moeves Plumbing Company a "willing" violation of OSHA Safety Standards?