Excavation and
Trench Safety
D I G G I N G S A F E LY
Prevention saves lives.
On the morning of October 4, 2002, newlywed Eric Giguere
headed to work on what appeared to be a normal day on the job.
Eric worked as a laborer for a construction crew installing water
lines in a rural setting. What happened that day on the job changed
his life forever. The following story by Eric is account of what
happened when a trench collapse occurred and buried him alive.
Protective Systems for Trenches
• Sloping protects workers by cutting back the trench wall at an
angle inclined away from the excavation.
• Shoring protects workers by installing aluminum hydraulic or
other types of supports to prevent soil movement.
• Shielding protects workers by using trench
Employed as a laborer, the work was difficult,
boxes or other types of supports to prevent
but gave me a sense of accomplishment in terms
soil cave-ins.
of reward. At the age of 27, I was making over
$20.00 per hour and providing well for my wife
Competent Person
and myself. I had been married for six days
OSHA standards require that trenches be
when this life-changing event occurred.
inspected daily and as conditions change by
Our construction team was working in a trench
a competent person prior to worker entry to
approximately six feet deep laying pipe. Suddenly,
ensure elimination of excavation hazards.
without warning, the sides of the trench collapsed,
Safety Tips
completely engulfing me with a crushing sensation.
• Inspect trenches at the start of each shift,
Before losing consciousness, my feelings ranged
following a rainstorm or after any other
from panic to fear as I realized the breaths I was
hazardous event.
taking were becoming more labored. Soon, fear
• Test for low oxygen, hazardous fumes and
subsided and was replaced with a sense of warmth
Actual rescue operation of Eric Giguere*
toxic
gases before entering a trench.
and well-being – I was dying.
• Keep heavy equipment and excavation spoils at least two feet
As I was buried, the rest of our five man crew were scrambling to free
away from the trench edge.
me from the collapsed trench. The backhoe operator took two feet of soil
•
Provide
stairways, ladders, ramps or other safe means of
off the top of the trench immediately, but left the rest of the digging to be
access
in
all trenches 4 feet or deeper.
performed by hand, out of fear of injuring me further.
In about ten minutes, I was uncovered, completely blue with no
• Excavated or other materials must be at least 2 feet back
from the edge of a trench; and a safe means of egress shall be
signs of life. I was still partially buried as the construction crew began
provided within 25 feet of workers in a trench.
CPR and waited for the ambulance to come. The ambulance workers
continued CPR and I was eventually taken by helicopter to Strong
Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York.
Doctors informed my wife, family and friends that I may not live, and
if I did, I would likely have severe brain damage.
Meanwhile, as my family were paying what they thought were their
last respects, my employer was making an overdue delivery to the work
site – a trench box. Four o’clock came and went as my wife and I missed
our scheduled departure for our honeymoon.
Eric Giguere suffered brain damage and Post Traumatic Stress
(PTS) as a result of the trench collapse.
How can Trench Accidents be Prevented?
Trench Statistics
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bis.gov),
there were 22 trench fatalities in 2006 nation-wide.
In OSHA’s Fiscal Year 2007 (October 1, 2006 to September 30,
2007), the top violation in trenching was 1926.652(a)(1), which
relates to a lack of sloping or shoring on a trench or inadequate
sloping or shoring on a trench. There were 1,071 violations of
this standard cited nation-wide with a total initial penalty issued
of $5,419,410.00. The initial penalty amount does not include
adjustments through court
hearings or settlements.n
• Trench collapses cause dozens of fatalities and hundreds of
injuries each year.
* OSHA recommends trench protection be in place before
entering a trench during a rescue.
• Do not enter an unprotected trench!
What are OSHA’s regulations?
The following information is from OSHA Quick Card #3197-04N-04
and from OSHA Safety Tip Card 3243-03R-05
• Trenches 5 feet deep or greater require a protective system.
• Trenches 20 feet deep or greater require that the protective
system be designed by a registered professional engineer.
DIGGING DEEPER: More information on this subject
• OSHA Trench Standards/Regulations and online ETOOL at
http://osha.gov/SLTC/constructiontrenching
• BuildSafe.org - Construction Safety Council
• Eric Giguere is available for safety presentations:
[email protected]
ExcavationSafetyGuide.com
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