Inspection 348802570 OPENED MAR 10, 2026Closed
115 S 2nd Ave W, Newton, IA 50208 · Wired Telecommunications Carriers · OSHA's record · Phone and website on Google Maps
No citations from this inspection.
Windstream Communications has 2 OSHA inspections on record in Iowa, the first in 2020.
OSHA's last visit started on Mar 10, 2026 after a complaint, in Newton.
Across those inspections OSHA issued 2 citation items: 2 serious.
OSHA proposed $23,868 in penalties. After settlements and reviews the total is $18,000, down 25%.
Most often, OSHA cited 1910.268, telecommunications (2 items).
For context, across all media and telecom employers the median penalty per cited inspection since 2015 is $1,800. Windstream Communications averages $18,000 over 1 cited inspection in that time.
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Watch this companyInspection history
Inspection 344767850 OPENED MAY 29, 2020Closed
310 West Street, Winfield, IA 52659 · Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers · OSHA's record · Phone and website on Google Maps
Incident on May 19, 2020: Cable employee falls from ladder when pole snaps at base and
At 2:00 p.m. on May 19, 2020, an employee was working for a cable television and internet service provider. He installed and repaired cable TV and internet connections. In this incident, he was installing or repairing a residential service drop that came in aboveground. The telecommunications cable was attached to a 20-foot tall (6.1-meter tall) wooden communications pole. The pole appeared to have been dedicated to communications. It was installed in 1944, so it probably carried a twisted-pair telephone line when it was put in place. The narrative did not state that the pole was also used by an electric utility. The pole was 7 in. (178 mm) in diameter. The employee leaned a Werner 24-foot (7.3-meter) extension ladder equipped with a V-rung attachment against the communications pole. The ladder was not secured to the pole. The employee was working approximately 12 feet (3.7 meters) above ground. He cut a tension wire that was ran from the pole to the residence. The wooden pole snapped back, broke at its base, and fell across an alley into a tree. The employee lost his footing and fell backward against his service truck. He landed on the gravel alley below. He suffered fractured ribs, unknown head injuries, and abrasions. Employee #1 struck the service vehicle and the ground. He was hospitalized for two or more days. He had not inspected the pole before starting work.
| Citation and rule | Type | Proposed | Current | Issued | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation 1, item 1 29 CFR 1910.268(b)(6) · Telecommunications |
Serious | $11,934 | $9,000 | Oct 7, 2020 | Final |
| Citation 1, item 2 29 CFR 1910.268(c) · Telecommunications |
Serious | $11,934 | $9,000 | Oct 7, 2020 | Final |
The rules behind these citations
Current text from the Code of Federal Regulations. Some citations were issued under older wording.
29 CFR 1910.268 · Telecommunications
29 CFR 1910.268(b)(6)
(6) Support structures. No employee, or any material or equipment, may be supported or permitted to be supported on any portion of a pole structure, platform, ladder, walkway or other elevated structure or aerial device unless the employer ensures that the support structure is first inspected by a competent person and it is determined to be adequately strong, in good working condition and properly secured in place.
29 CFR 1910.268(c)
(c) Training. Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall insure that employees do not engage in the activities to which this section applies until such employees have received proper training in the various precautions and safe practices required by this section. However, where the employer can demonstrate that an employee is already trained in the precautions and safe practices required by this section prior to his employment, training need not be provided to that employee in accordance with this section. Where training is required, it shall consist of on-the-job training or classroom-type training or a combination of both. The employer shall certify that employees have been trained by preparing a certification record which includes the identity of the person trained, the signature of the employer or the person who
Other wired and wireless telecommunications carriers employers in Iowa
- Centurylink Des Moines · 3 citations · $10,375
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement data. A citation is OSHA's allegation; employers can contest it, and the status column shows where each item stands. Something wrong on this page? Tell us.