special report

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Photo by David Dow, TrenchSafety and Supply

SPECIAL REPORT:

DEATHBY

TRENCH

W

hen it comes to construction fatalities, trench deaths are easy to overlook. The number of deaths – 51 between 2016 and 2017 – falls far below the top four culprits of construction deaths: falls, electrocution, struck by object and caught-in/between. But trench deaths are particularly distressing, as the victims often spend several minutes in agony before succumbing. Co-workers look on helplessly, or in trying a rescue, may also die. Families are forever haunted by the loss. Most frustrating of all: every death could have been prevented, if the company had installed worker protection. In this special report, Equipment World examines the human loss and business implications behind the statistics and what contractors and workers must do to prevent deaths by trench.

Table of Contents

12 Buried alive in Blue Earth County

26 Families find few answers to “why?” 51 What to expect when an How one contractor’s missteps took one life, 33 Expect more criminal charges in OSHA compliance officer shattered others and ruined his business. investigates trench deaths 19 Not so great escapes 53 How to dig an early grave 44 First on the scene Trench collapse survivors live with fear, Trench rescues are methodical, labor 54 Trench protection: Big disabilities and recriminations. mission, big business intensive and often unsuccessful. EquipmentWorld.com | June 2018 11