trench hazards

OSHA cites employer – involved in 2021 double fatality in downtown Boston – for new trench violations at East Boston worksite

February 16, 2022

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the employer involved in a February 2021 double fatality at a downtown Boston worksite and his successor company again for failing to provide employees with essential and required safeguards, this time at an East Boston residential construction site.

Weekly news round-up

January 25, 2020

Millions in OSHA fines for one roofing contractor, 2020 is off to a deadly start for the poultry industry and OSHA celebrates its 50th anniversary. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Worker dies from gas exposure in trench

January 18, 2019

OSHA has cited RKM Utility Services Inc. for failing to protect workers from hydrogen sulfide after an employee died after exposure to dangerous levels of the gas while working in a trench in Dallas, Texas. OSHA inspectors determined that the company exposed employees to a hazardous atmosphere, failed to train employees on the health hazards of hydrogen sulfide, and did not drain water from the trench.

OSHA cites Mo. excavating company after seeing employees working in unprotected trench

July 20, 2018

OSHA has cited Karrenbrock Excavating LLC for allowing two employees to work in an unprotected trench while installing sewers. The company faces proposed penalties of $189,221.

Colorado trench collapse endangers four workers

March 15, 2018

Four workers in Englewood, Colorado were lucky to escape with their lives when a trench they were in collapsed – although one suffered serious injuries. The Dec. 7, 2017 incident involving employees of Langston Concrete, Inc. has resulted in OSHA citations against the company for failing to protect its workers from trench collapse hazards.

CMC announces its spring/summer 2018 open enrollment course schedule for rescue professional training

March 6, 2018

CMC, the California-based rescue and work-at-height company dedicated to helping save lives and keeping people safe, today announced its Spring/Summer 2018 CMC School schedule of courses for rescue professional training. The CMC School will be available at strategic locations around the country which allow for individuals to enroll in Confined Space Rescue, Rope Rescue Technician I/II and Trench Rescue classes.

A Confined Space blog post

Construction company owner charged with manslaughter in trench death

Jordan Barab

January 15, 2018

Nothing sharpens the mind like the prospect of spending time in jail. Those of you who know me know that there’s little that makes me more angry than seeing a worker killed in a trench collapse. Every construction company owner knows how to prevent trench collapses — or they should know, or shouldn’t be in business.

A Confined Space blog post

Just another day in the workplace

Jordan Barab

October 30, 2017

I get a lot of health and safety-related news alerts emailed to be every day. Some days are worse than others. Here is a sample from yesterday. (With a little commentary.) Someone asked me this morning how writing this blog doesn’t throw me into depression. To some extent it’s an outlet, keeping me from kicking the dogs and throwing things at TV. But then there are days like today when it all seems like too much.

Good news, bad news in trench collapse

August 23, 2017

Two construction workers who were buried up to their waists in a trench collapse Monday afternoon were rescued and expected to make a full recovery. That’s the good news. The bad news: the rescue efforts could cost the Michigan county in which the incident occurred up to $100,000.

Worker suffers severe injuries in trench cave-in

January 16, 2017

OSHA has cited a Sioux Falls, South Dakota excavating contractor for five serious safety violations after the agency's investigators found a 40-year-old equipment operator suffered severe injuries while working in a 16-foot-deep trench on Oct. 28, 2016.