Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100058700 - King Septic Service

Inspection Information - Office: Saint Louis Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 12:10 p.m. on October 4, 1985, Employee #1 was working in a 30 ft long by 4 ft 6 in. deep trench that was 2 ft wide at the bottom and 3 ft wide at the top. It ran through the crushed rock parking lot of a private residence. Employee #1 was trying to locate on old sewer line that ran diagonally to the trench to connect it to a new septic tank line. Some excavated dirt had been piled about 2 ft away on the northwestern side of the trench. The weight of the dirt on a previously unnoticed foundation drain trench caused a large section of the northwestern wall to cave in, crushing Employee #1's chest against the opposite wall. He was killed.

Keywords: CHEST, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, TRENCH, CRUSHED, UNSTABLE SOIL, CAVE-IN