104,543Records 70,659Employers 84,666Hospitalizations 27,563Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-09-30
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14461602

INSTALLING,WORK RULES,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,SHORING,SLOPING,BURIED,CAVE-IN

Event
INSTALLING,WORK RULES,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,SHORING,SLOPING,BURIED,CAVE-IN
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14461602
Report ID
257260

Event description

Three employees killed, one injured in trench cave-in

Investigation abstract

At 9:00 a.m. on December 14, 1984, Employees #1 through #4 were preparing to ins tall pipes for a sanitary system in a 25-ft-long by 20-ft-deep by 3-ft-wide tren ch. The wall on the left side suddenly collapsed, trapping the employees. Employ ee #1 was rescued from under 5 ft of earth; he sustained blows and contusions to his body. Employees #2, #3, and #4 were buried and died of suffocation. The wal ls of the trench were vertical and had no form of shoring.

Victims (4)

  1. #1 Non-hospitalized injury Age 23 M

    Nature of injury
    3
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    2
    Source
    43
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    4
    Environmental factor
    6
    Task assigned
    1
  2. #2 Fatality Age 52 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    31
    Event type
    2
    Source
    43
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    4
    Environmental factor
    6
    Task assigned
    1
  3. #3 Fatality Age 20 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    31
    Event type
    2
    Source
    43
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    4
    Environmental factor
    6
    Task assigned
    1
  4. #4 Fatality Age 22 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    31
    Event type
    2
    Source
    43
    Occupation code
    599
    Human factor
    4
    Environmental factor
    6
    Task assigned
    1

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