Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200740017 - Employee drowns in trench cave-in

Accident Summary Nr: 200740017 -- Report ID: 0213100 -- Event Date: 07/17/1996
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
300522562	07/18/1996	1542	0	Westar Mechanical, Inc.

Abstract: Employee #1 was laying sewer piper in a 7.5 ft deep trench. At a depth of approximately 4 ft and running along the north wall of the trench was an 8 in. water line that contained water at 94 psi. The north wall of the trench caved in, and Employee #1 became trapped in the waist-high soil. The water line separated and water, flowing at a rate of 4,500 gallons per minute, filled the trench. Employee #1 drowned.

Keywords: PINNED, CONSTRUCTION, TRENCH, HIGH PRESSURE, WATER PIPE, DROWN, CAVE-IN, WATER

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Excavation, landfill		New project or new addition		Under $50,000		8	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	300522562			Fatality	Asphyxia	Helpers, construction trades	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Excavation Fatality Cause: Trench collapse

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