OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14197404

SEWER,PINNED,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,SHORING,UNSTABLE SOIL,SLOPING,BURIED,CAVE-IN

1986-09-23T00:00:00

Event: SEWER,PINNED,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,SHORING,UNSTABLE SOIL,SLOPING,BURIED,CAVE-IN
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14197404
Report ID: 352420

Event description

EMPLOYEE PARTIALLY BURIED WHEN TRENCH CAVED IN

Investigation abstract

ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1986, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING IN A TRENCH INSTALLING LATERAL SE HE EMPLOYEE'S FEET WERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SEWER LINE. THE SLIDING ROCK AN D SOIL TRAPPED THE EMPLOYEE'S FEET BETWEEN THE PIPE AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE TR ENCH. THE EMPLOYEE WAS BURIED UP TO HIS WAIST. HE WAS REMOVED BY RESCUE PERSONNE L AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, WHERE HE WAS CHECKED OVER AND X-RAYED FOR BROKEN BO NES. HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE SUFFERED ONLY BRUISES. NO OTHER PORTION OF THE TRENCH GAVE WAY OR CAVED-IN. HOWEVER, THE TRENCH SIDES WERE NOT BRACED, SLOPED (EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTH SIDE) OR OTHERWISE SESCURED TO PREVENT A CAVE IN. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS NOT WEARING ANY HEAD PROTECTION WHILE WORKING IN THE TRENCH. THE EMPLOYEE HAD NO T RECEIVED ANY TRAINING FROM HIS EMPLOYER ON THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH WORKING IN TRENCHES. WER LINE FROM A HOUSE, UNDER CONSTRUCTION, TO THE FREDERICK COUNTY MAIN SEWER LI NE. THE TRENCH WAS 50 TO 54 FEET LONG, RUNNING EAST TO WEST, AND 7 FEET DEEP. TH E NORTH SIDE OF THE TRENCH WALL WALL WAS VERTICAL, WHILE THE SOUTH WALL WAS SLOP ED BACK FROM 4 TO 6 FEET. THE SLOPE BEGAN 16 INCHES ABOVE THE BASE OF THE TRENCH . THE TRENCH WAS 24 INCHES WIDE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SLOPE. THE SOIL WAS DRY, WITH A HIGH CONTENT OF SLATE ROCK. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ENGAGED IN INSTALLING TH E SEWER LINE, AND WAS MOVING AROUND THE TRENCH WHEN A ROCK, ABOUT 6 FEET LONG, 3 FEET WIDE AND 4 INCHES THICK, SLID DOWN INTO THE TRENCH WHERE HE WAS LOCATED. T

Victim

#1 Hospitalized Age 27 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
16

Event type
2

Source
12

Occupation code
585

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1

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