Staten Island Accident Highlights Trench Safety
Last week, a construction worker on a Staten Island site was killed when the wall of a trench collapsed on him. The Department of Buildings has issued a stop-work order for the site, and the scene is under investigation.
According to NBC New York, the 29-year-old worker was buried by the wall and suffered head trauma. He was declared deceased after being transported to Staten Island University Hospital.
A spokesperson for the Department of Buildings said the contractor on the site will be cited for several violations, including working without a permit and failure to shore up the trench.
According to OSHA, trenching is one of the “most hazardous construction operations.” There are numerous regulations and standards about how trenching should be done in a safe manner to reduce accidents like the one on Staten Island. Because the risk of death or serious injury is so great, particular care has to be taken when trenching.
Safety concerns don’t only include ensuring the trench is “shored up” or supported properly, but also require soil testing to measure sloping, assessment of hazards from gas and electrical lines buried underground, expert use of heavy equipment in digging, and prevention of falls.
According to the OSHA Trenching and Excavation Safety Fact Sheet:
Two workers are killed every month in trench collapses. The employer must provide a workplace free of recognized hazards that may cause serious injury or death. The employer must comply with the trenching and excavation requirements of 29 CFR 1926.651 and 1926.652 or comparable OSHA-approved state plan requirements.
An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface formed by earth removal.
Of particular concern in trenching and excavation is the possibility of cave-ins:
Cave-ins pose the greatest risk and are much more likely than other excavation-related accidents to result in worker fatalities. Other potential hazards include falls, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres, and incidents involving mobile equipment. One cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car. An unprotected trench is an early grave. Do not enter an unprotected trench.
When you are working on a site like this, you have to be certain that the site is safe. Your employer has an obligation to provide a safe worksite, too. When they don’t and tragedy occurs, they can be held responsible.
How Ginarte Can Help
If you’ve been injured in an excavation accident or if you lost a loved one that was working in a trench, we may be able to help. You could be entitled to compensation for the results of the accidents.
Our attorneys are committed to getting justice for our clients. Contact us today to discuss your accident and what can be done. Call 1-888-GINARTE or fill out our online contact form.
