Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 14486138 - Employee killed in trench cave-in

Accident Summary Nr: 14486138 -- Report ID: 0215600 -- Event Date: 04/17/1985
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
1011543	04/18/1985	1711	0	Gould Plumbing Company, Inc.

Abstract: Employee #1 was in an approximately 18 ft deep by 5 ft long by 3 ft wide trench, trying to break open an unused sewer line to plug the end going into an active sewer line. When he struck the cast iron pipe, it began to vibrate. This apparently caused the walls of the trench to collapse, burying Employee #1 to his waist. When coworkers tried to rescue him, the walls collapsed further and completely buried him. Employee #1 died of asphyxia due to suffocation, aspiration of gastric contents, and mechanical compression of the body.

Keywords: SUFFOCATED, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, TRENCH, VIBRATIONS, SHORING, UNSTABLE SOIL, SLOPING, CAVE-IN

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1011543			Fatality	Asphyxia	Occupation not reported

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