Inspection Detail

Inspection: 104711767 - Albert L. Adair

Inspection Information - Office: State Of New Mexico Environment Department Occupational Health & Safety Bureau

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on July 13, 1988, Employee #1 was taking a break with three coworkers after installing three 8 ft by 27 ft gasoline tanks into a 33 ft 11 in wide by 33 ft long by 10 ft 3 in. deep excavation. The perimeters of the tanks had been backfilled with approximately 4 1/2 feet of sand that had been trucked to the site. The employees were sitting sat in the 5 foot deep southwest corner of the excavation, waiting for additional sand. Three of the workers thought they heard a noise when the embankment suddenly broke loose. Employee #1 was knocked against the southernmost tank and was completely covered with dirt. He later died at an area hospital.

Keywords: STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, BURIED, CAVE-IN