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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 18860882 - United Plumbing & Heating Company, Inc.
Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health
Site Address:
United Plumbing & Heating Company, Inc.
8670 Open Meadow Way
Columbia, MD 21045
Mailing Address:
9305 S. Gerwig Lane, Columbia, MD 21046
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:1623
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 01/29/1988
Planning Guide: Safety-Construction
Emphasis: N:Trench
Case Closed: 03/07/1988
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 360616148 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Current Violations | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $1,840 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,840 |
| Current Penalty | $1,840 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,840 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 19260021 B 2 | 02/09/1988 | 02/12/1988 | $460 | $460 | $0 | - | ||
| 2. | 02001 | Serious | 19260650 E | 02/09/1988 | 02/12/1988 | $460 | $460 | $0 | - | ||
| 3. | 03001 | Serious | 19260651 I 1 | 02/09/1988 | 02/12/1988 | $460 | $460 | $0 | - | ||
| 4. | 04001 | Serious | 19260652 B | 02/09/1988 | 02/12/1988 | $460 | $460 | $0 | - |
Investigation Summary
At approximately 11:00 p.m. on December 30, 1987, Employee #1, a senior backhoe operator and job foreman for United Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc., Columbia, MD, was installing 4 in. PVC sewer pipe for a single family house. After Employee #1 finished excavating a section of the 13 ft deep by 6 ft wide by 15 ft long trench, coworkers entered the trench and connected the house sewer line to the main line, then exited the trench. Employee #1 entered the trench to inspect the connection. While he was bending over, the walls of the trench caved in and completely buried him. He was hospitalized for treatment of a fractured shoulder. There were several causal factors related to this accident: the trench walls were vertical and not supported in any way; the soil was soft, unstable, and damp from rain; the excavated soil was stored at the edge of the opening; the trench was adjacent to a back-filled trench; and the employees were not wearing hard hats.
Keywords: HARD HAT, WORK RULES, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, CONSTRUCTION, TRENCH, UNSTABLE SOIL, SLOPING, BURIED, CAVE-IN
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18860882 | Hospitalized injury | Fracture | Excavating and loading machine operators |