105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #977355

WORK RULES,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,UNSTABLE SOIL,BURIED,CAVE-IN

Event
WORK RULES,CONSTRUCTION,TRENCH,UNSTABLE SOIL,BURIED,CAVE-IN
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
977355
Report ID
454714

Event description

Two employees killed in trench cave-in

Investigation abstract

Employees #1 and #2 were laying a 20 ft long by 15 in. diameter metal drainage p ipe in a 9 ft deep trench. The trench was approximately 6 ft across at the top a nd 3 ft across at the bottom. Employee #2 was standing on the pipe and Employee #1 was standing beside the pipe when the trench wall and the spoils dirt slid, c overing both employees with approximately 7 ft of soil and killing them. Their b odies were recovered four hours later.

Victims (2)

  1. #1 Fatality Age 41 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    14
    Source
    12
    Occupation code
    585
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    18
    Task assigned
    1
  2. #2 Fatality Age 35 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    14
    Source
    12
    Occupation code
    585
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    18
    Task assigned
    1

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