Accident: 170205843 - Two Burned When Gas Ignites In Trench
At approximately 10:00 a.m. on August 16, 1999, Employees #1 and #2, were in a 5 ft by 5 ft by 2 1/2 ft deep excavation, repairing gas leaks in a PVC pipe system. They had already repaired four valves in the excavation. As they were working on a manifold, Employee #1 heard a hissing sound. The main shut-off valves were already closed, and the gas in the upstream lines were relieved. They returned to the excavation to bleed the residual gas. Employee #2 opened the valve and stood up to talk to Employee #1. A short while later, the gas ignited and flashed through the excavation. Employees #1 and #2 suffered first- and second-degree burns to their faces and hands. Both employees went to a nearby fire station and were taken to St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco.
construction, gas leak, gas, methane, repair, burn, excavation, hand, fire, flammable vapors
Accident: 126008762 - Leg Injured When Struck By Swinging Pipe
On July 21, 1999, Employee #1 was in a 6 ft deep excavation helping to guide a section of 12 in. diameter by 20 ft long PVC water pipe being lowered into the excavation using a Case 580E backhoe. The employer was operating the backhoe, and the pipe was attached to the backhoe bucket with slings; Employee #1 and a coworker were guiding the pipe with tag lines. The employer lowered the pipe faster than anticipated or desired, apparently because of the position of the backhoe's boom. The pipe jerked and lowered faster than the coworker with the tag line could control its movement. The pipe swung around excessively and struck Employee #1, fracturing his femur, injuring his neck, lacerating his head, and bruising his chest. Causal factors of the accident were the employer's failure to maintain control of the pipe while it was being lowered, and the workers being too close to the pipe as it was being lowered. Employee #1 was both experienced and well-trained.
construction, excavation, clearance, communication, fracture, lost control, struck by, flying object, head, work rules
Accident: 170205801 - Injured When Pinned By Falling Metal Shield
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on July 14, 1999, Employee #1 was working as a pile buck for FCI Constructors on a freeway seismic retrofit job in San Francisco. They decided to remove the trench shield in an excavation because it was too small. Employee #1 and his foreman had removed three of the four spreaders when the foreman had to step away and left Employee #1 to complete the job. He removed the pins to the last spreader and was headed toward a freeway footing when one of the metal side shields fell, pinning him against the concrete footing. Employee #1 suffered multiple fractures to his pelvis, two spinal fractures, and a crushed bladder.
construction, struck by, fracture, spine, unsecured, pinned, trench box, pelvis, bladder, excavation
Accident: 170075246 - Killed In Excavation Cave-In
On July 1, 1999, Employee #1 was in a 5 ft deep excavation when it caved in. He died of asphyxia.
cave-in, excavation, asphyxiated, construction, work rules
Accident: 126008903 - Arm And Ribs Broken By High Pressure Water Blast
At 7:00 a.m. on June 3, 1999, Employee #1 was in an approximately 14 ft deep excavation, replacing a coupling on an 8 in. water line. As he was working, an adjacent 16 in. water line failed and a blast of water struck Employee #1 in the chest and on the left side of his body. He suffered a fractured left arm, four fractured ribs, and a lacerated spleen and kidney. Employee #1 was taken to Kaiser Hospital in San Diego for treatment. According to the foreman, the cause of the accident was the apparent failure of the 16 in. water line at a point where it had previously been repaired.
construction, high pressure, water pipe, maintenance, struck by, equipment failure, fracture, rib, excavation, kidney
Accident: 170074306 - Killed In Excavation Cave-In
At approximately 7:30 a.m. on June 2, 1999, Employee #1 was in a 12 ft deep excavation preparing form work for catch basin #26 when the west side of the excavation collapsed. He was killed.
cave-in, excavation, construction, work rules, collapse, concrete form work
Accident: 656058 - Two Employees Injured When Trench Caves In
Employees #1 and #2 were standing at the edge of an excavation when the road edge collapsed. Both men were partially buried.
collapse, trench, excavation, buried, cave-in, unstable soil, work rules
Accident: 170074314 - Killed In Excavation Cave-In
Employee #1 was in a 5 ft wide by 9 to 10 ft long by 7 to 8 ft deep excavation cleaning a pipe to be connected to a manhole when the excavation caved in and he was completely buried. Employee #1 was killed.
cave-in, collapse, excavation, buried, construction
Accident: 170616171 - Legs Burned In Fall Into Hot Water
At approximately 7:00 p.m. on January 8, 1999, Employee #1, of Avenal State Prison, was walking next to an open 18 in. deep excavation that contained hot water when he slipped on some gravel and fell into the excavation. He suffered second- and third-degree burns to both legs and was taken by ambulance to a hospital with a burn unit.
slip, fall, excavation, walking surface, hot water, burn, leg, high temperature
