Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for California: A Plumber Died When the Trench He Was Working in Collapsed Around Him

摘要

A 35-year-old male plumber died when the trench he was working in caved-in around him. The victim was in the trench connecting a residential sewer line to a sewer main when the incident occurred. The trench was seven-feet deep and was not shored, benched, or sloped. The area where the trench was located had been dug up before by other utilities. The soil that was removed from the trench was placed next to the edge of the trench. The company had shoring, but it was not available at the job site. The victim was hired two days before the incident occurred and had not yet been to the companys orientation and safety training. The CA/FACE investigator determined that in order to prevent future occurrences, employers, as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) should: Ensure employees do not enter trenches deeper than five feet without the benefit of shoring, benching, or sloping. Ensure that backhoe operators place the excavated soil from trenches a minimum of 2 feet away from the edge of a trench. Ensure employees receive safety training and their achievement of skills is verified through a testing program before they are assigned hazardous work.