Construction sites will always be hazardous terrain to navigate, especially for employees whose tasks take them into excavations. Too many lives are lost in construction workers’ accidents that are caused by collapsing walls of trenches. An Ohio family has to cope with such a tragedy that claimed the life of a loved one only days after Christmas.
Reportedly, the incident occurred on Dec. 29 at a residential construction site in Morrow. A construction worker, who was in a trench that was approximately 25 feet deep, was overcome by masses of dirt when the trench walls collapsed. Emergency services were called, and responders say the could still see the worker when they arrived.
Sadly, further collapses buried him under even more soil, and it was soon apparent that they were involved in a recovery rather than a rescue. Firefighters worked on clearing soil away with their hands because it was unsafe to use heavy equipment. This went on into the night, and they worked for many hours to recover the body of the deceased worker. Construction company owners must comply with strict regulations to secure the walls of trenches to prevent such tragedies, and it is not known whether any such precautions were in place at this excavation.
The compliance officers of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will look for answers at this construction site. Surviving family members of any employees who lost their lives in construction workers’ accidents in Ohio may find comfort in knowing that an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can assist them with the navigation of death benefits claims. The benefits will help them to cope with end-of-life expenses and day-to-day living expenses for some time after the worker’s death.
Source: wjla.com, “Person trapped under 25 feet of dirt after a trench collapse, recovery underway“, Larry Davis, Dec. 29, 2017