OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14500086
DOC'S SEWER AND WATER COMPANY
WAUKESHA, WI·
Event description
Employee dies of hemorrhage after trench cave-in
Investigation abstract
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on October 14, 1988, Employee #1 entered a 10 ft 8 in and having little cohesiveness. . deep trench dug in previously excavated soil to locate and connect a sewer lat eral to the main. The trench was sloped only 1 1/2 to 2 ft from vertical on each bank and was approximately 17 ft long. While the employee was probing for the e xisting pipe, he was warned that the north wall appeared unstable. As he attempt ed to climb the ladder to exit the trench, most of the north wall collapsed, cru shing him up to his chest against the south wall. Employee #1 died of a massive internal hemorrhage. The entire trench was unshored and the area behind the nort h wall was later found to be relatively loose fill and gravel, mixed with clay,
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 24 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 1
- Event type
- 2
- Source
- 12
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
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