Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309290609 - Midwest Petroleum & Excavating, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Fairview Heights Area Office

Investigation Summary

On March 18, 2008, Employee #1 was the Foreman on the jobsite. Employee #2 was a backhoe operator. There were four other employees on the jobsite (another equipment operator, truck driver, and two (2) laborers). At approximately 3:00 p.m., Employee #1 was shooting a grade with a laser device in an approximately 20-ft long by 5-ft wide and 9-ft deep trench. The trench had no protective system in use to protect employees from cave-in hazards. The trench was located between manhole Number 5 and manhole Number 6, and ran north to south. Employee #1 was standing next to Manhole Number 5 on the north side of the trench. The employees were attempting to shoot a laser beam out of an inlet to set the first piece of 18-in. PVC pipe. Employee #1 entered the trench to find the laser (light) with a shovel. The trench did not have any cave-in system in it at the time of the accident, and a 16-ft long by 4-ft wide and 6-ft wide trench box was present on the site, and located approximately 100-ft to 200-ft away from the trench. Employee #1's legs were then trapped at the knees due to a small cave-in on the west side of the excavation. Employee #2 entered the trench to attempt to free Employee #1 with the use of a hand shovel. During the rescue attempt, both Employee #1 and Employee #2 were buried due to a collapse of the east wall of the trench. The east wall completely buried Employee #1, and buried Employee #2 up to his head. Both Employee #1 and Employee #2 were crushed by the east wall and were killed.

Keywords: ASPHYXIATED, BURIED, UNGUARDED, EXCAVATION, CAVE-IN, CONSTRUCTION, TRENCH, CRUSHED