Recent Trenching Fatalities: Causes and Ways to Reduce

Details

• Personal Author:
  Obando M ; Ruttenberg R ; Schneider S
• Description:
  Construction workers dying in trench collapses is a national crisis. The number of these fatalities rose dramatically, from ten in 2014 to 18 in 2015 to 33 in 2016. While the number fell in 2017 to 19, it was still nearly double the 2014 level. And though formal data for 2018 and 2019 are not yet available, in April 2019 alone, at least eight workers died in trench collapses. Nonetheless these tragedies are preventable. Lack of compliance with OSHA regulations is by far the most comprehensive reason for these deaths. Enforcement remains weak. Penalties for OSHA violations, while they have risen, are still low and usually lack criminal consequences. Lack of experience by both new workers and new companies post-Recession probably contributes to the increase in fatalities. A growth in the percentage of trench work related to repairs and emergencies, which disrupt, often with hand tools, already-disturbed soil is another likely cause for the increase in fatalities. Companies that rent safety equipment advise trench companies but, for liability reasons, do not provide hands-on guidance on proper installation and use of safety devices-which perhaps is critical missing guidance for a large number of new firms in the industry and new employees. Serious actions are needed to stem the current trends. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Mortality Occupational Health Occupational Injuries Safety
• Keywords:
  Construction Industry Construction Workers Fatalities Occupational Accidents Safety Measures Safety Practices Trenches Trenching Work Experience
• Publisher:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Guidance
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; Vermont
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-25
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20058282
• Citation:
  Silver Spring, MD: CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 2019 May; :1-25
• Contact Point Address:
  Ruth Ruttenberg & Associates, 1830 Hallstrom Road, Northfield, Vermont 05663
• Email:
  rruttenberg@tds.net
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  Recent trenching fatalities: causes and ways to reduce
• End Date:
  20240831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1da826d4d865fd04afc46edfcdebfdce82e2508b24bd0f768036970d68bf47d1d01fd8e29076d1d1d636bb0e4c01be94984623836544be6cc90dc98d9982a2f3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221409/cdc_221409_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 581.62 KB ]