OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14461297
FRACTURE,PPE,WORK RULES,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,SKULL,SHORING,SLOPING,CAVE-IN
Event description
Employee crushed and killed in trench cave-in
Investigation abstract
In July 1984, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Employee #1, a plumber, was working in h. a 24 ft long by 2 ft 6 in. wide by 8 ft deep trench. He was opening an 8 in. wi de hole in the inside wall of a manhole to install a sanitary pipe. While he was working, he noticed that the wall to his left was starting to cave in. Employee #1 ran into the trench toward the opposite side from where he had been, but he was completely buried. He suffered a fractured skull and multiple fractures to o ther parts of his body. Employee #1 was killed. The walls of the trench were nei ther shored nor sloped. Employee #1 was not using safety equipment at the time o f the accident. No ladder or steps had been provided to exit and enter the trenc
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 25 M
- Nature of injury
- 2
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 2
- Source
- 12
- Occupation code
- 585
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 15
- Task assigned
- 1
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