Federal safety regulators have cited Primoris Services, a contractor for Duke Energy, after an August worksite electrocution in Seminole that killed a lineman and badly burned two coworkers. Investigators say the deadly blast occurred during a pole replacement job when a pole made contact with an energized transmission line. Primoris is contesting the findings and the proposed penalties, and the case now heads into the federal review process while investigators and family members wait for the next move.
OSHA's findings and penalties
Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that a Primoris T&D crew failed to maintain the required minimum approach distance from exposed energized parts, did not assign a designated observer to warn workers, and skipped required special precautions during the job briefing. OSHA labeled those failures as three “serious” violations and proposed $49,650 in penalties. Primoris has formally contested the citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and OSHA notes that both the penalties and the classifications could change as that review plays out. Per the U.S. Department of Labor.
The August worksite blast
On Aug. 12, 2025, the crew was installing a new utility pole on Park Boulevard when the boom operator’s claw hit the pole, which then contacted an energized transmission line. The impact triggered an explosion that set nearby grass on fire. Pinellas County deputies arrived to find one worker dead at the scene, with two others rushed to Tampa General Hospital suffering severe burns. Early reports identified the men as Justin Bryan, Jefferey Busch and Matthew Waldrop. The incident also knocked out local service while utility and emergency crews worked the scene. As reported by FOX 13.
Utility and company response
Duke Energy said it was “saddened by the tragic incident” and that the company’s “hearts go out to them, their family, communities and co-workers,” as crews worked to restore power and investigators combed through the scene. Primoris, which performs transmission and distribution work under contract to utilities, has disputed OSHA’s findings and is formally contesting the citations. That challenge shifts the case from an OSHA inspection into the adjudication process at the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, where both penalties and classifications can be modified. The company and utility statements were reported by FOX 13.
What comes next and context
OSHA’s enforcement action highlights the dangers of mechanized line work around high voltage lines and reiterates long standing rules that require utilities to deenergize lines whenever possible or, if they cannot, to enforce strict approach distances, use dedicated observers and conduct thorough job briefings. For context, regulators issued a $16,131 penalty to Duke Energy in North Carolina after a separate electrocution case in early 2025, a reminder that fatal incidents are often followed by federal or state enforcement. Local reporting and federal documents describe how employers can contest such citations and how penalties may ultimately be revised. See local coverage in the Tampa Bay Times, earlier regional reporting at FOX 13, and guidance on safe work near overhead power lines from OSHA. For a look at recent, related enforcement, see coverage of the 2025 North Carolina case at WBTV.
