Excavation and Trench Safety Online Training - Cal/OSHA

Case Study: In California, a plumber was killed when a trench collapsed around him. He had been working for the company only two days when the incident occurred. The worker was dispatched along with a backhoe operator to connect residential and main sewer lines. The backhoe operator dug the trench and deposited the soil at the edge of the excavation. No protective systems were implemented, but the company indicated that typical excavations of this kind were sloped to prevent cave-ins instead of dug sharply out like this particular trench. The victim jumped into the trench to continue digging with a shovel when the walls caved in. The sharp angle of the trench walls combined with the fact that this area had previously been excavated was enough to cause the trench walls to collapse, burying the victim completely. Despite rescue attempts by coworkers and paramedics, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene due to asphyxia.

Key Takeaway: While the company had a training program in place, it failed to ensure that its employees completed the program before being dispatched to a potentially hazardous work site. Because the victim had only been employed by the company for two days, he had not yet had the time or opportunity to complete necessary training. Had he undergone proper training, he may have recognized the hazardous situation and avoided the incident. It is unknown whether the backhoe operator underwent satisfactory training for this task.