NEW YORK – Two employees of a Bronx water and sewer line construction contractor were fatally injured in a trench at a construction site at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens on April 3, 2023. These fatalities could have been prevented if their employer had ensured proper safeguards, a federal investigation found.

The two employees were attempting to remove soil from below a concrete slab located within a trench when the slab broke apart and collapsed, fatally crushing both workers. OSHA inspectors found that the company failed to:

• Support the concrete slab, exposing both employees to the danger of a collapse.
• Instruct employees on safe methods to remove the slab and provide supervision to ensure those methods were followed.
• Construct the excavation's protective system based on designs in accordance with OSHA standards.

“Working in excavations is inherently dangerous. Demolition of existing structures must be carefully planned, and shoring systems must be built according to their design. Employers are obligated to make a good faith effort to recognize, evaluate and control workplace hazards throughout the course of the work and as conditions change,” said Kevin Sullivan, OSHA's Long Island and Queens area director.

“Diligent oversite and management of changing worksite conditions could have helped prevent this tragedy from happening.”

Learn more about OSHA and protecting workers against trenching and excavation hazards.

The National Utility Contractors Association Trench Safety Stand Down is June 19-23, 2023. It encourages employers to “STOP” and remind workers of the dangers of trench and excavations hazards – and the ongoing importance of protecting workers in trenches and excavations.

Being in the safety business, Roco Rescue is a strong supporter of NUCA’s efforts to protect workers in trenches. At Roco, our motto is “There’s a safe way, and there is a safer way.” 

In the rescue world, “safe is safe.” It may not always be the most efficient way, but the rescuers will always be the top priority when we keep safety at the forefront of any rescue operation. At Roco, “There’s a safe way, and there is a safer way,” is much more than a catchy advertising slogan. We see it more as a Standard Operating Guideline.

If we take the slogan and break it down, it makes sense. “There’s a safe way” is the equivalent of saying, “My organization is meeting the standards that we are required to meet,” i.e., OSHA, NFPA, ANZI, etc. In the Roco world, “There is a safer way” says we will always do what is best for the safety of our people while still meeting the requirements of the applicable national standards.

Subtle difference? Not in our world. A safer way means we will routinely exceed national safety standards because it is safer for our employees when we do so. Even if it often costs more and always takes more time, we are committed to it. The June 19-23, 2023, NUCA Trench Safety Stand Down is another opportunity for Roco Rescue to show its commitment to safety.

“There is a safer way” says we will always do what is best for the safety of our people while still meeting the requirements of the applicable national standards.

As a rescue company, our job is to prevent trench incidents and prepare rescuers for the extremely dangerous conditions they might face in a trench collapse. Roco Rescue’s 3-Day Trench Rescue Technician Course is an excellent way to prepare for this type of emergency when lives hang in balance.

Our programs are conducted in live trenches dug specifically for the class. The trench is never the same and rarely stable. It creates some of the most realistic training conditions a rescuer will ever face. When you go back to work, you are prepared to rescue. What you might not be prepared for is the conversation that so often occurs when you get back to your industrial plant, your utility contractor, or your fire department. That conversation often centers around one subject, “We have trained rescuers, but are we capable of performing an actual rescue?”

OSHA is very clear about the need for trained, equipped, and readily available rescuers when we have employees working in Permit Required Confined Spaces. The private industry has for decades developed rescue programs to conform to this standard. OSHA 1926.650-652 Standard for Excavations does not require rescue capability unless there is a known or potential atmospheric hazard (i.e., the trench meets the definition of a confined space). Therefore, we must ask ourselves, have we confirmed that someone is coming to help if my employees get caught in a trench collapse?

We must ask ourselves, have we confirmed that someone is coming to help if my employees get caught in a trench collapse?

The upcoming NUCA Trench Stand Down reminds us to ask these questions. Does my local fire department have the capability to perform trench rescue? How long will it take them to get here? Do we need to explore starting a trench rescue program at our plant? If you already field a confined space rescue team, this may be the best option.

It’s a fact, every trench will eventually collapse if left to its own devices. Roco encourages everyone that works around open trenches and excavations to ask these questions about prevention and rescue. Our trench rescue professionals are available to answer any questions you might have.

Additional Resources

If you’re concerned that your rescue service may not be adequately prepared, give us a call or check out these resources for more information on how to keep you and your personnel safe around trenches.

• Trench Safety & Rescue Articles: Read More
• Trench Training: Competent Person | Trench Rescue Technician
• The LEADER 2023 Winter Issue: Trench Safety & Excavations

According to a report from the Department of Labor, 39 people died doing trench or excavation work in the U.S. in 2022. In fact, the number of worker fatalities more than doubled since 2021, continuing a troubling trend cited by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that found 166 workers died in trench cave-ins from 2011-2018, an average of 21 each year.

“A trench collapse can bury workers under thousands of pounds of soil and rocks in seconds, making escape and survival often impossible,” explained OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. “With proper training and use of required safety procedures, incidents like these can be prevented. OSHA and industry employers are working hard to raise awareness of hazards and protective measures and educate employers on how they must protect workers.”

The new campaign is a collaboration between OSHA and on-site consultation projects across OSHA Region 5 in the Midwest. “By launching this trench and excavation safety campaign as the spring construction season gets into full swing, OSHA and its partners are determined to make sure industry workers finish their daily shifts safely,” Donovan added.

Industry employers and workers should remember the following essential trench safety standards:

• Protective systems must be in place for trenches 5-feet deep or deeper. These systems include benching, sloping, shoring and shielding.
• A registered professional engineer must approve trenches of 20-feet deep or deeper.
• A competent person must inspect trenches daily – and as conditions change – before anyone enters a trench. The competent person must be able to identify existing and predictable hazards, soil types and protective systems, and have authority to take prompt corrective action to eliminate those hazards.
• Excavated soils must be kept at least two feet from trench edges. 
• Underground utilities must be located and marked before digging begins. 
• Ladders must be positioned every 25 feet of lateral travel for safe entrance and exit from the trench.

A trench collapse can bury workers under thousands of pounds of soil and rocks in seconds, making escape and survival often impossible.

OSHA has a national emphasis program on preventing trenching and excavation collapses, and developed a series of compliance assistance resources in English and Spanish to help keep workers safe from these hazards.

OSHA's trenching and excavation webpage provides additional information on trenching hazards and solutions. including a safety video and safety alert. 

Source: OSHA QuickTakes April 17, 2023

Additional Resources

If you’re concerned that your rescue service may not be adequately prepared, give us a call or check out these resources for more information on how to keep you and your personnel safe around trenches.

• Trench Safety & Rescue Article: Read More
• Trench Training: Competent Person | Trench Rescue Technician
• OSHA’s Trenching and Excavation Webpage

BRECKENRIDGE, CO – The owner of a Vail construction company facing felony manslaughter charges has surrendered to local law enforcement. This is related to the findings of a federal safety investigation into a deadly trench collapse in November 2021. A worker installing residential sewer pipes suffered fatal injuries when the trench around him caved in. The collapse resulted from deteriorating conditions at the project, which could have been prevented by using legally required trench protection systems.

OSHA issued three willful citations for not ensuring the excavation was inspected by a competent person, failing to instruct employees on the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and not having a trench protective system in place. Investigators also issued an additional serious citation for not having a safe means of egress within 25 lateral feet of employees working in a trench.

“There is no excuse for failing to protect workers when federal requirements clearly outline and require safety measures proven to save lives,” explained Regional Solicitor of Labor John Rainwater in Dallas. “Today’s arrest cannot recover a life lost in this senseless tragedy but it is a step toward seeking justice for the family.”

Collapses and cave-ins pose the greatest threat to trenching and excavation workers. In 2022, OSHA reported that at least 39 industry workers died, 22 of them in the first six months of the year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 166 workers died in trench collapses from 2011 to 2018.

“Let this tragedy serve as a reminder to other employers who willingly fail in their responsibilities to keep workers safe that the U.S. Department of Labor will exhaust every resource to hold employers accountable for protecting workers, including recommending criminal prosecution.”

OSHA has a National Emphasis Program on trenching and excavations. Trenching standards require protective systems on trenches deeper than 5 feet. Additionally, trenches must be inspected by a knowledgeable person and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing a worker to enter.

Additional Resources

If you’re concerned that your rescue service may not be adequately prepared, give us a call or check out these resources for more information on how to keep you and your personnel safe around trenches.

• Trench Safety & Rescue Article: Read More
• Trench Training: Competent Person | Trench Rescue Technician
• OSHA’s Trenching and Excavation Webpage

The alarming rise in trench-related fatalities has spurred US Department of Labor to announce enhanced nationwide enforcement.

In 2022’s first six months, 22 workers have fallen victim to the deadly hazards present in trenching and excavation work – surpassing 15 in all of 2021 – and prompting the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to launch enhanced enforcement initiatives to protect workers from known industry hazards.

To stress the dangers of disregarding federal workplace safety requirements for trenching and excavation work, OSHA enforcement staff will consider every available tool at the agency’s disposal. These actions will place additional emphasis on how agency officials evaluate penalties for trenching and excavation related incidents, including criminal referrals for federal or state prosecution to hold employers and others accountable when their actions or inactions kill workers or put their lives at risk.

Read the full press release: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOL/bulletins/3213baa

Additional Resources

If you’re concerned that your rescue service may not be adequately prepared, give us a call or check out these resources for more information on how to keep you and your personnel safe around trenches.

• Trench Safety & Rescue Article: Read More
• Trench Training: Competent Person | Trench Rescue Technician
• OSHA’s Trenching and Excavation Webpage