Worker dies in tragic trench accident- hazards & stats of dangerous trench work

On September 16, Kelly Smith, 32, died after a sewer line trench he was working in collapsed in Pocatello. According to Mountain Homes News, construction crews from Bowman Plumbing were working on a sewer line in a 10-foot-deep trench when a portion caved in. Smith was working outside of a 10-foot-deep trench box, which provides protection in an emergency. The area where the collapse occurred did not have any safety devices employed. Since Smith was working outside of the trench box, OSHA needs to determine if the company is to blamed. Is it possible that the worker was in an area where he was told not to work or did the company, in ignorance, put him to work there without the proper safety protection/equipment? Although numerous emergency responders arrived on scene shorty after the accident, the man could not be revived after CPR was performed. It is reported that OSHA is already investigating the accident. According to Pocatello Assistant Fire Chief Mike Williams, emergency responders spent approximately two hours attempting to dig the man out of the dirt.

Trench work can be extremely dangerous if the correct safety precautious aren't taken seriously. The following statistics are from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 271 workers died in trenching or excavation cave-ins from 2000 through 2006.
2. A review of multiple national databases by NIOSH researchers found that trenching and excavation hazards during construction activities resulted in 488 deaths between 1992 and 2000 - an average of 54 fatalities each year.
3. Sixty-eight percent of those fatalities occurred in companies with fewer than 50 workers.
4. Forty-six percent of the deaths occurred in small companies with 10 or fewer workers.

Hazards associated with trench work and excavation are recognized and preventable, yet injuries and fatalities associated with these hazards continue to occur (NIOSH)."

The following link http://bit.ly/1lzJ1f is provided by The Center to Protect Worker's Right. It's a very good resouce that outlines the hazards of working with trenches and gives excellent safety tips.

Sources:"Trenching and Excavation." National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/trenching/ "Mountain Home man dies in Pocatello trench accident." Mountain Home News. 16 Sept. 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2009. http://www.mountainhomenews.com/story/1570897.html