Inspection Detail

Inspection: 104588900 - Kenneth Goon Contractor

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING AS A LABORER, HELPING TO INSTALL DRAINAGE PIPE ACROSS A DIRT ROAD FROM FIELD TO FIELD. A 66 FOOT LONG TRENCH HAD JUST BEEN DUG ACROSS THE ROAD, FROM A SOUTHERLY TO NORTHERLY DIRECTION, USING A BACKHOE. TWO 30 FOOT SECTIONS OF PIPE, COUPLED TOGETHER, WERE TO BE SET INTO THE TRENCH, SLOPING SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTH. THE TRENCH HAD BEEN DUG SO THAT THE WALLS WERE STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN. THERE WAS NO MEANS OF SUPPORT, NOR WAS THERE AN EXIT. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS STANDING AT THE CENTER LINE OF THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRENCH. THE TRENCH DEPTH THERE WAS SIX FEET AND THE WIDTH 2 1/2 FEET. THE SOIL WAS SATURATED AND CONSISTED OF SILTY CLAY AND BLACK DIRT. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS REMOVING CHUNKS OF SILTY CLAY MATERIAL, BY HAND, WHICH HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM FOOT AND A HALF OF THE TRENCH WALL. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS REMOVING THIS MATERIAL SO THAT THE PROPER SLOPE COULD BE OBTAINED FOR THE DRAINAGE PIPE TO BE PLACED. THE TRENCH WALLS BECAME UNDERCUT AND UNSTABLE WHERE THE SILTY MATERIAL FELL OFF. A FRACTURE OCCURRED, CAUSING A PIECE OF MATERIAL, APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET LONG, 2 1/2 FEET WIDE AND 4 1/2 FEET DEEP TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE EAST WALL. THE LARGE PIECE STRUCK EMPLOYEE #1 AND PINNED HIM TO THE WEST WALL. THE MATERIAL COVERED THE EMPLOYEE UP TO ABOUT HIS SHOULDERS. EMPLOYEE #1 DIED FROM ASPHYXIATION BY CRUSHING. HE SUSTAINED A BROKEN CLAVICLE, RIBS, AND OTHER INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH CRUSHING.

Keywords: ASPHYXIATED, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, TRENCH, CRUSHED, SHORING, SLOPING, CAVE-IN