The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined a Pembroke construction company $55,200 for allowing a worker into a trench that was at risk of caving in.

The 6-foot-deep trench was at a Randolph work site. A federal inspector found a CELCO Construction Corp. employee was found by working in the trench, which had no protection in place to prevent it from collapsing, according to a statement issued by OSHA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor.

There was no ladder or other means for escaping from the trench, and an excavator at the trench’s edge had caused rocks and soil to fall into the opening, according to OSHA.

The authority levied these fines: $50,000 for an unprotected trench and missing ladder; $4,000 for the excavator’s presence at the edge of the trench, and for a lack of a required high-visibility vest on an excavator operator; and $1,200 for an incomplete injury-and-illness log.

The company could elect to contest the findings.

The alleged violations were discovered Dec. 3.

A CELCO spokesman could not be reached for comment on Sunday.