This document summarizes numerous excavation accidents that occurred between 2013-2020, highlighting the dangers of trench work and lack of proper safety protocols. It notes that over two dozen workers died in 2016 alone from cave-ins due to lack of trench shoring. Several incidents are described in detail where workers were buried, electrocuted, or overcame by gases in unprotected excavations. Statistics are presented on increasing construction fatalities, especially for excavation work. Common safety issues identified include unsecured trenches, lack of fall protection, protective systems, training, air monitoring and more. The importance of competent persons, planning, and following all OSHA excavation standards is emphasized.

1. Excavation Safety Refresher
Draft 10 17 2020

2. The Age Old Problem
• More than two dozen
construction workers died in
2016 when they were buried
under tons of earth in trenches
that had no shoring to keep
fragile walls from giving way -
OSHA
• That number is double what it
was a year ago, but it’s been
that high or higher on average
for many years.

3. Jan 2017
• Key Largo FL
• Three dead in manhole
• Firefighter critical
3

4. Daily Job Briefings

5. BLS
• A total of 4,836 fatal work injuries
were recorded in the United States
in 2015, a slight increase from the
4,821 fatal injuries reported in
2014
• The 937 fatal work injuries in the
private construction industry in
2015 represented the highest total
since 975 cases in 2008.
• Several construction occupations
recorded their highest fatality total
in years, including
• construction laborers (highest since
2008);
• carpenters (2009);
• electricians (2009); and
• plumbers, pipefitters, and
steamfitters (2003).

6. Oct 2018

7. July 2018
• One worker has died after being
overcome by sewage fumes in a
trench construction project in West
Dallas
• The three workers were taken to the
hospital after they were found
passed out from sewer gases while
working at the construction site.
• They broke a sewage line.
• $422,000 Fine

8. Jan 2019

9. March 2018
• Sandy Utah
• The man was working in a
trench when a piece of
equipment malfunctioned,
causing the piece of piping
to fall on him, according to
Sandy Police Sgt. Jason
Nielsen.
• They were able to resling it
and get it off of the victim.

10. Feb 2018
• Worker's leg
amputated to free him
from trencher in Frisco
TX
• Officials told the station
the workers were laying
pipes at a housing
development.
Ditchwitch: While operating equipment, keep bystanders
and other workers at least six feet (1.8 m) away from the
reach of equipment. Stop the machine if anyone gets too
close.

11. Feb 2017
• Rescue team tries to
retrieve a 18 yrs old
man killed in a trench
collapsed accident in
Smithton Pa.

12. Feb 2017
The man, identified as 41-year-old Konrad Tucharski, had
been working on a "planned construction project" to replace
a sewer pipe, according to Gary Litherland, a spokesman
for the water department.

13. Feb 2017
• Atlantic Drain Services and
its owner, Kevin Otto, have
each been indicted on two
counts of manslaughter
after he and the company
"gambled with their
employees' lives and
safety,"
• A grand jury also returned
an indictments against
Otto and Atlantic Drain of
one count of misleading an
investigator under the
state's witness intimidation
statute and six counts of
concealing records under
the evidence tampering
statute.

14. Jan 2017
• ROBINSON, Texas
(KWTX) A worker who
had a close call late
Thursday morning
when a trench
collapsed in a
subdivision in
Robinson, leaving him
covered in dirt from
his neck down.

15. Data
• If you make it easier
to use safety, more
likely it will be used
and get done.
• Cones, grease gun,
rigging, lockout,
brooms.
• Kevin O’Leary

16. Sleep
• Individuals who sleep fewer than six
hours a night on average have a 13 per
cent higher mortality risk than people
who sleep at least seven hours.
• U.S. sustains by far the highest
economic losses up to $411 billion a
year or 2.26% GDP
• U.S. loses an equivalent of around 1.2
million working days due to
insufficient sleep.
• Individuals could: Set consistent wake-
up times; limit the use of electronic
items before bedtime; and exercise.
• Employers could: Recognize the
importance of sleep and the
employer’s role in its promotion;
design and build brighter workspaces;
combat workplace psychosocial risks;
and discourage the extended use of
electronic devices.

17. Data
• 35% of all fatalities
occurred in workers
age 55 or older, with
1,691 deaths.
• This is the highest
number of fatalities
ever recorded for this
group of workers.

18. Planning
• Three things that should be
done to ensure a successful
outcome.
• Worker Protection,
• Protection of existing buried
and aboveground facilities, and
• Proper construction of the final
product. (CHST)

19. Planning
• 20 foot pipe

20. It can be done

21. Planning
• Alternative to choker
slings

22. Planning

23. Planning
• If you hit an old
gas main, what do
you do?

24. Criminal Update 2016
• Wilmer Cueva, 51, of
Elmwood Park, New
Jersey, a foreman for Sky
Materials, was convicted
of criminally negligent
homicide and reckless
endangerment in the death
of Carlos Moncayo, 22
during excavation at a
Restoration Hardware site.
• Sentencing 1-3 years.

25. Neri Update February 2015
Mike Neri agreed to be
permanently enjoined from
engaging in trenching, excavation,
construction or related activities
and permanently prohibited from
possessing or leasing any
construction excavation equipment.
• The judges also found that Neri,
based on a review of his tax
returns and other financial
records, was unable to pay the
$110,440 fine.
• Mike Neri was released from
Federal Prison December 24,
2014

26. OSHA Litigation 2015
• OSHA cited Pan Oceanic Engineering of
Chicago $105,600
• $70,000 Willful cave in Protection 651(a)(1) Affirmed
• $15,400 Repeat Sidewalk under-mined 651(i)(3) Vacated
• $7,000 Competent Person 651(k) Vacated
• $13,200 Repeat traffic signs 1926.200(g) Vacated
• Trial held in Spring 2015.
Open Date: 07/22/2013

27. How Many Issues?
Trench 5.5 feet deep

28. Nov 2016
Photo Wayne
Lawson

29. Nov 2016
• Canton IL
• The blast Wednesday
evening in Canton, which
is 150 miles southwest of
Chicago, happened while
utility workers were trying
to fix a gas leak that a
contractor apparently
caused while digging,
officials said.
The explosion killed one of the Ameren
workers, whom Fulton County Coroner
Steve Hines identified as 38-year-old
Arturo Silva Jr., of Mapleton.
Three other workers were injured, and
two of them remained hospitalized
Thursday, said Ameren Senior Vice
President Ron Pate.

30. October 2016
• OG Plumbing
• OSHA proposed
penalties of $275,728
and issued one willful,
three repeat and one
serious safety citations
to the plumbing
contractor for the
violations found at the
job sites.

31. Criminal 2016
• U.S. Sino Investment, its
owner and a project manager
were convicted on
involuntary manslaughter
charges in the cave-in death
of a construction worker at a
Milpitas building site.
• Raul Zapata Mercado, 38,
was killed January 28, 2012,
after a 12-ft. wall of dirt
collapsed on top of him
• Richard Liu And Dan Luo
Received Two-Year
sentences

32. Problems
• These are the common
issues that I ran into in
for underground
• Swing Radius needs to
be guarded for
excavators.

33. Problems
• Trench 5-6 feet deep.
• Spoil at edge.
• No access.

34. Problems
• People do not know
how to shore a narrow
trench less than 24
inches wide.

35. Problem
• Workers do not know
how to hand dig or
deal with tree roots.
• One company in 2015
6 at fault hits. 21 not
at fault,
• Cost per hit est
$10,000-14,000
• 2016 - $500,000 ATT
cable hit in Mundelien

36. Problems
• Locates not done for
IDOT or Tollway
areas (non JULIE)
Safety Dave - vast experience of finding
utilities the hard way.
Hiring private locate also.
Use vac trucks.

37. Problems
• Holes not secured and
covered with steel
plate and fenced off.

38. Problems
• Rigging is used when
damaged

39. Problems
• Slings must be
Alloy Steel G80.

40. Problems
• Not keeping the 10
feet safe clearance
from powerlines
• 240 volts temp lights
may not be ok to
encroach on the 10
foot.
• Weatherproofing is
not insulation.

41. Problems
• Workers have ZERO
documented training
in the MUCTD so set
up cones and flags
haphazardly

42. Nov 2019
Tucson AZ
He says the contractor who was killed was standing
on the surface when the ground collapsed and threw
him into the crater that opened when the ground
gave way.

43. Sep 2016
Decatur IL – several hours trapped in 20 foot
trench.

44. August 2016
West Palm Beach FL
Worker killed
when Concrete
mixer truck fell on
him.

45. July 2016
• St. Louis
• A worker was trapped
20 feet underground
• Mud and dirt from the
end buried the worker
up to the waist.
• He was trapped for an
hour.

46. June 2016
• Construction crews hit
an unmarked gas main
near Roosevelt and
State, leading to a
HAZMAT situation
and the evacuation of
stores in the area.

47. Dec 2015
• Milton NY
• Two people were taken to the
hospital after a trench they were
working in collapsed Monday
in Saratoga County.
• The sheriff's office says Mark
Vadnais and Barbara Reed were
working on a water line at the
Northern Pines Mobile Home
Park on Lewis Road in Milton
around 12:45 p.m.
• They were in a trench about six
feet deep when it started to
collapse.

48. Dec 2015
• Houston TX
• Officials said the 58 year old
employee was not wearing a
seat belt when the machine
went into a retention pond.
• Investigators said the excavator
partially sank in the pond.

49. Sep 2015
• Wilmington NC
• Hines says the men were
helping unload concrete vaults
off a flatbed truck when the arm
of a track hoe hit a powerline.
• He says it energized the track
hoe and then the wet ground
where the men were standing
electrocuting them.
• Both died

50. Sep 2015
• Las Vegas
• Worker struck and killed by
trench plate.
• "He was assisting in putting a
4-thousand pound plate of steel
in place and it was not secured
and it fell over and crushed
him," he said.
How would you lift this
plate?

51. May 2015
• CTA Yellow Line
• The embankment gave way late
Sunday as the Water
reclamation district was digging
a new deep trench for a box
culvert to handle the delivery
and exit of wastewater at the
treatment plant next door.
• Interlocked pilings were driven
deep into the embankment wall
and cross bars were in place to
prevent the collapse.
• Those didn't work, and no one
is certain why.

52. April 2015
• New York City
• Carlos Moncayo, a 22-
year-old laborer from
Queens, was trying to
make a living as he
worked on the
construction of a
Restoration Hardware
store at 19 Ninth Ave. in
Manhattan on April 6,
2015.
• Instead, his life ended that
day when the 14-foot-deep
trench in which he was
working collapsed and
buried him beneath tons of
soil and debris.
$70,000 for sidewalk undermined
$70,000 for no cave-in protection

53. February 2015
• Columbia SC
• 6 foot deep
• City worker
died in
collapse

54. 49
171
171
261
517
651(k)(2)
652(j)(2)
651(k)(1)
652(c)(2)
652(a)(1)
2014 most cited by OSHA
Excavations [1926.650 – 652]
COMPETENT PERSON - INSPECTION AND EMPLOYEE REMOVAL
COMPETENT PERSON - INSPECTIONS
PROTECTION FROM FALLING/ROLLING MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
SAFE EGRESS
CAVE-IN PROTECTION
SUBPARTP
54

55. Pot Holing
• Hand dig until find the
lines
• Some companies do
75 locates a week or
more

56. JULIE
Markings
• The gas meter is a
good indicator

57. New Confined Space Rule
• ‘‘competent person’’ conduct
the initial job site evaluation,
• continuous air monitoring of
confined spaces is performed,
• continuous ventilation is used
• information to be shared among
employers is specified by the
rule and
• coordination with rescue teams
must be done in advance of a
confined space entry, although
teams don’t have to be present
at the site.

58. Examples
• Bins;
• Boilers and vessels;
• pits (such as elevator, escalator,
pump, valve or other equipment);
• manholes (such as sewer, storm
drain, electrical, communication,
or other utility);
• tanks (such as fuel, chemical,
water, or other liquid, solid or
gas);
• Incinerators and scrubbers;
• concrete pier columns;
• Sewers and storm drains;
• transformer vaults;
• step up transformers;
• turbines;
• heating, ventilation, and air-
conditioning (HVAC) ducts
• water mains;
• precast concrete and other pre-
formed manhole units;
• drilled shafts;
• enclosed beams;
• Digesters and lift stations;
• cesspools;
• silos;
• air receivers;
• sludge gates;
• air preheaters;
• chillers;
• bag houses; and/or
• mixers/reactors
1926.1201(a)

59. Aug 2013
• GA
• The coroner confirms that
James Jackson, 50, and Allen
Thomas, 46, have died after
being trapped in a trench at
Summit Pointe Apartments on
Williams Road.
• They worked for the company
Allen Development Group.
• Six people were in the trench at
the time. Four escaped and tried
to help the other men get out.
• Jackson's son, Mike, was
working with his father at the
time.
• He was operating a backhoe
when the incident occurred, and
tried to help his family.
• The trench is 30 feet deep, but
the men were trapped 12 feet
under.

60. Aug 2013
See any hazards?

61. June 2013
• June 25
• Death of a 36-year-old worker
who developed heat stroke at a
job site in Chicago.
• The company was installing
electrical conduit in an
uncovered trench.
• "This worker died from heat
stress on his first day on the
job.”
• “This tragedy underscores the
need for employers to ensure
that new workers become
acclimated and build a tolerance
to working in excessive heat
with a program of water, rest
and shade," said Dr. David
Michaels,
• "A worker's first day on the job
shouldn't be the last day of their
life."

62. Purpose
• The excavation
standard is designed to
protect against cave-
in.
• Violation
• 13’ feet deep, Vertical
walls, type C soil,
undercutting walls

63. Feb 2013
• Marshfield MA
• Standing at side when
collapsed happened
• 12 feet deep
• 8 foot box
• Only hand visible
• The worker was
conscious when he left
in the ambulance

64. Competent Person
• Competent person
must inspect the
excavation. Visual and
manual test.
• Violation
• Excavation is
undercutting street and
front end loader only
adds weight

65. Training
• Workers must get
training prior to
working in the trench.
• What training is
covered?

66. Struck By Hazards
• Violation
• Worker under moving
bucket

67. Jan 2017
• San Antonio
• 19 year old Destiny Rodriguez
was killed when the excavator
operator, who didn't see
Rodriguez, dropped the bucket
on her

68. Trench Boxes
• Violation
• This box only has one
horizontal brace across
each end.

69. Trench Boxes
• 1926.652 (g)(2):
Trench shields must
be within 2 feet of the
bottom of the trench.
• Incompliance

70. Sloping
• Type A ¾:1
• Exception for short
term duration under 24
hours.
• Violation
• 13’ deep vertical
• Note: swing radius
unprotected also

71. Sloping
• Jan 2006 – Worker
gets four ribs broken
• Type B Soil (must be
sloped at a 1:1)
• 8 foot side on left
collapses. 15 foot side
does not.

72. Trench Boxes
• Trench boxes must
extend 18 inches
above the grade or
bank.

73. Access and Egress
• Violation
• A ladder must be
available for access
into trench

74. Access
• What is the proper
access?

75. Egress
• Ladder or safe egress
must be available
within 25 feet of
travel.
• Violation
• 75’ long trench with
no ladder.

76. Egress
• Incompliance
• Ladder for use to get
out a box.

77. Spoil Pile
• 1926.651 (j)(2):
Excavated material
must be kept a
minimum of 2 feet
from the edge.
• Violation.
• Spoil at edge.

78. Soil Testing
• Appendix A
• Pocket Penetrometer
• Thumb penetration
• Ribbon Test
• others

79. Soil Classification
• Appendix A, section
(c)(2): The
classification of
deposits shall be made
on the results of least
one manual and one
visual analysis.

80. Soil Classification
• Soil is cracking due to
vibration from traffic.
Soil type was
classified as a Type C.
• Note: Vibration must
be able to be felt.

81. Power lines
• Equipment must stay
at least 10’ away from
power lines
• Violation
• This equipment got
within 5 feet of lower
power lines.

82. 82

83. 83

84. 84

85. Swing Radius
• Violation: Excavator
extends 42 inches
beyond track. It is able
to strike anyone
walking by on this
site.
• This is incompliance.
Cones are used to
warn people.

86. December 2014

87. Utilities
• 1926.651 (b)(2):
Utility companies
shall be contacted 24
hour prior to
excavation to establish
the location of
underground utilities.
• Violation. JULIE requires 48 hours

88. Utilities
1926.651(b)(4)
While the excavation is open, underground
installations shall be protected, supported or
removed as necessary to safeguard employees.

89. Underground Installations
Can be among
the largest
unexpected costs
to contractor

90. Underground
installations
Local utilities shall be contacted to
locate all underground installations .
Hand dig to locate underground
utilities.
 Ground radar popular.

92. Directional Boring
Need to ground the
machine in case hit
electrical.

93. Pot Holing
• Hand dig until find the
lines
• Some companies do
75 locates a week or
more

94. JULIE
Markings
• The gas meter is a
good indicator

95. 95
Tolerance Zones
Hand dig within required “Tolerance Zone” (varies by State),
18” on either side of the utility.

96. Directional Boring
• One person died as the result of a gas
line explosion in April 2016 in Maryville.
• Construction worker John Doug Behme,
44, of Worden, was part of a crew
excavating at the site of the future
Villas at Nottingham on April 6 when
workers hit a 10-inch gas line operated
by Ameren Illinois and triggered a
massive explosion.
• Behme, who was rescued from the fire
by Maryville police officers, was initially
taken to Anderson Hospital, then flown
to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis with
third-degree burns.
• He died about three weeks later.

97. 97

98. Quick Disconnect
• Buckets are falling onto
employees
• Must have a pinned connection
if hydraulic fails that prevents
the bucket from falling.
7/14/2014 OSHA's inspection found that one of the employees sustained fatal
puncture wounds from the bucket after it disconnected from the excavator
and rolled into the trench from a height of about 4 feet.

99. Excavation Safety

100. Protective systems
deeper than 20 ft.
must be designed or approved by a
Registered Professional Engineer

101. 101
Tabulated Data
Tables and charts approved
by a registered professional
engineer and used to design
and construct a protective
system. The tabulated data
for protective systems must
be made available on the
job-site.

102. 102
Protective System
• Support systems;
• Sloping and benching systems;
• Shield systems, and;
• Other systems that provide the
necessary protection.
Protective systems include, but are not
limited to:

103. Feb 2014

104. The Future

105. 105
Frequently Cited

106. #1 1926.652(a)(1)
• Protection from Cave-
in
• Many use double
stacked boxes when
over 10 feet.

107. #2 1926.651 (c)(2)
• Means of egress from
trench excavations. A
stairway, ladder, ramp or
other safe means of egress
shall be located in trench
excavations that are 4 feet
(1.22 m) or more in depth
so as to require no more
than 25 feet (7.62 m) of
lateral travel for
employees.

108. #3 1926.651(j)(2)
• Protection shall be provided by
placing and keeping such
materials or equipment at least
2 feet (.61 m) from the edge of
excavations, or by the use of
retaining devices that are
sufficient to prevent materials
or equipment from falling or
rolling into excavations, or by a
combination of both if
necessary.

109. #4 1926.651(k)(1)
• Daily inspections of
excavations, the
adjacent areas, and
protective systems
shall be made by a
competent person

110. #5 1926.651(k)(2)
• Where the competent person
finds evidence of a situation
that could result in a possible
cave-in, indications of failure of
protective systems, hazardous
atmospheres, or other hazardous
conditions, exposed employees
shall be removed from the
hazardous area until the
necessary precautions have
been taken to ensure their
safety.

111. #6 1926.651 (h)(1)
• Employees shall not
work in excavations in
which there is
accumulated water, or
in excavations in
which water is
accumulating,

112. #7 1926.651 (d)
• Exposure to vehicular
traffic. Employees
exposed to public
vehicular traffic shall be
provided with, and shall
wear, warning vests or
other suitable garments
marked with or made of
reflectorized or high-
visibility material.

113. #8 1926.651 (i)(3)
• Sidewalks, pavements and
structure shall not be
undermined unless a
support system or another
method of protection is
provided to protect
employees from the
possible collapse of such
structures.

114. #9 1926.651(j)(1)
• Adequate protection
shall be provided to
protect employees
from loose rock or soil
that could pose a
hazard by falling or
rolling from an
excavation face.

115. #10 1926.651(e)
• No employee shall be
permitted underneath
loads handled by
lifting or digging
equipment.

116. The Top Five Trenching
Hazards
1. Cave – ins
2. Overhead Electric Line Contact
3. Hit by Bucket or Bucket Falls
4. Confined Space
5. Fire

117. UNSAFE ATTITUDES
• “I Know what I’m doing.”
• “It can’t happen to me.”
• “I’ve been doing it that way for years.”
• “I wouldn’t go in there if I didn’t think it
was safe”
• “It will only take a minute”

118. 118
(d) Exposure to Vehicular Traffic
• Employees exposed to public
vehicular traffic must be provided
with, and must wear, warning vests
or other suitable garments marked
with or made of reflectorized or
high-visibility material.
• Use a designated, trained flag-
person along with signs, signals,
and barricades when necessary.

119. 119

120. 120
Cones, Drums and Barricades

121. Excavation Work
• No traffic signs with
excavation at the edge
of traffic. (see next
page)
• Trench box is
inadequate too

122. Work Within Two Feet

123. Directing Traffic
• Need to have vests and
flags/paddles

124. Warning systems for mobile
equipment
• When operator does not have clear view of
edge of excavation
• Warning system shall be utilized
– Barricades
– Hand or mechanical signals
– Stop logs

125. Nov 2016

127. February 2015
• Houston TX
• Worker
seriously
hurt when
falling 20 ft
into
excavation

128. March 2015
• Water jet cutting at 2000 psi
to cut tree roots blocking the
sewer.
• The cutting head by the green
flag.
• No need to enter the confined
space or dig it out.
• Everything is lowered in the
manhole.

129. Emergency Rescue Equipment
• Rescue equipment
– Breathing equipment
– Safety harness and line
or basket stretcher
– Blowers
– Emergency Hydraulic
Shoring
– Ladders
– Training
– Must be readily
available

130. 130

131. Aluminum Hydraulic Shoring
1926 Subpart P App D
• Basis and limitations of data
– Vertical shore rails and horizontal wales
– Meet equivalent strength properties
– 2 inch cylinder inside diameter minimum safe working
capacity of no less than 18000 lbs compressive load at
maximum extension
– 3 inch cylinder inside diameter safe working load not
less than 30000 lbs axial compressive load
– Vertical shores used must be minimum of 3 spaced
equally

132. ALUMINUM SHORING
VERTICAL HORIZONTAL

133. ALUMINUM SHORING
DIMENSIONS

134. August 2014
• Thoughts?

135. Aluminum Hydraulic

136. Aluminum Hydraulic

137. Spot-bracing Usage

138. Hydraulic Shoring Usage

139. CAUTION!
Ordinary ¾ plywood CANNOT
be used as sheeting unless
approved by an RPE
If approved, it can only be
used to control local
raveling

140. Finland Form or Inform Sheeting
4 x 8 home made panels
Manufactured panels (14-ply
arctic white birch)
2 x 12 x 12Panel rope
used for
lowering
Strongback

141. What’s good?

142. May 2003
• Staten Island, NY
• Then, when the 15 foot deep
trench collapsed, completely
burying one worker, Formica
tried to get him out with an
excavator, but decapitated him
in the process
• He was charged in a seven
count indictment with
manslaughter in the second
degree, criminally negligent
homicide, four counts of
reckless endangerment in the
first degree and assault in the
third degree. One count of
reckless endangerment in the
first degree.
• The trial court upheld
criminally negligent homicide
charges
• Mr. Formica served 4 months of
weekends in prison (16
weekends) and paid a fine of
$5,000 in 2007.

143. Who Will Rescue?
• July 2015
• Fairfax County VA

144. Oct 2016

145. Oct 2016

147. Summary
• Many contractors are
not putting in cave-in
protection for manhole
installations.
• Some companies have
the equipment to
protect against cave-in
but do not use it. Worker was hurt in a cave-in
when the excavation wall
collapsed into the box.

148. Questions?