How did this injury happen on the construction job?
The trench coat collapsed in multiple stages. A worker was trapped under the trench after the initial collapse. Then an excavator operator and another worker stepped in to help. Immediately afterwards, a second collapse occurred that trapped all three workers. The excavator operator managed to free himself and call for help. Finally, workers and managers from three independent companies working on the site responded.
L&I claims that at least 9 people took turns entering the unprotected trench trying to excavate the buried workers. Tragically, the medical team declared the worker who jumped to help first dead at the scene. However, they were able to rescue the trapped worker first and flew him to Harborview Hospital. He suffered serious injuries but survived this horrible work accident.
The L&I Work Accident Report
More formally, according to Anne Soiza, deputy director in charge of L & I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH): “This incident is heartbreaking and frustrating. This death and the hospitalization of a worker were completely preventable. Trenches at this depth, in In the middle of winter after days of rain, on unstable ground without a trench box, it was a recipe for disaster. “
Consequently, based on its investigation, L&I concluded that several companies committed “flagrant” security breaches. Therefore, due to those violations, the companies have been fined by L&I.
L&I fined companies involved in work-related death
RES System 3 LLC received the largest penalty. L&I fined the company a total of $ 360,874 for 8 security breaches, some of which are deliberate, nonchalant, and very serious. Explicitly, the violations do not include cave-in protection, any competent person trained in on-site trench safety, and any written safety program tailored to the project. In addition, they were fined for improper training, improper ladder extension, lack of means to get out of the trench, and improper ladder use and setup.
L&I issued a fine to RES America Construction Inc in the amount of $ 184,800 for 6 serious and intentional safety violations. In this case, the violations included failing to ensure that the subcontractor had and used cave-in protection, as well as failing to ensure that the subcontractor had a written safety program tailored to the project. In addition, there were more violations for not having a written safety program tailored to the project for the company’s own employees, inadequate training programs, improper ladder extension, and improper ladder setup and use.
Ultimately, GEMS was the contractor that provided medical services on site. L&I fined GEMS $ 4,200 for exposing two of its employees to hazards when they entered the unprotected trench.
Resume
This case is a very sad reminder that work can be dangerous and even deadly. We are fortunate to have a strong workers’ compensation system in Washington State. However, no amount of money can replace a lost life. As always, employers and workers must remain focused on creating and maintaining safe work environments.
This article was first published at https://recklaw.com/l-and-I-work-injury-death/
