Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200452720 - Employee Dies in Excavation Collapse

Accident Summary Nr: 200452720 -- Report ID: 0418600 -- Event Date: 09/23/2010
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
314601873	09/24/2010	1623	237110	L & K Contracting Company, Inc

Abstract: On September 23, 2010, Employee #1 and a coworker were working in a trench for laying a new section of sewer line that to be connected to an existing sewer line. Each section of piping consisted of 10 inches-diameter plastic pipe that measured 14 feet in length. The excavated area had a slight downhill angle and had an underground water stream/buildup at a depth of about 9 to 12 fee, which sometimes caused approximately 1 to 2 inches of water to accumulate on the bottom of the trench. As Employee #1 and the coworker were located in a twelve foot deep section of the excavation, awaiting the next section of pipe to be lowered for installation, a large portion of the excavation wall gave way. Dirt filled the excavation, covering Employee #1 and the coworker up to their shoulders. Both Employee #1 and the coworker were taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment. Employee #1 died, while the coworker was treated for multiple broken ribs and damaged lungs. The injury line only reported one employee.

Keywords: CHEST, EXCAVATION, ASPHYXIATED, COLLAPSE, CONSTRUCTION, LINE CONNECTOR, PIPE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Sewer/water treatment plant		New project or new addition		$250,000 to $500,000			X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	314601873			Fatality	Other	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Trenching, installing pipe Fatality Cause: Trench collapse

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