Trench Collapses: Contractors Fined $530K in Calif.; 2 Die in S.C., Mich.
Between February 10-17, two contractors in California were fined a total $530,000, and workers died in cave-ins in Michigan and...
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Two plumbing contractors in California were issued fines totaling $530,000 on February 10 after a worker was seriously injured in a trench collapse.
On February 12, a pipefitter died in a cave-in in Michigan. And then on February 17, a worker died on a water-line installation project in South Carolina when a trench collapsed.
Smelly Mel’s, Sewer Rat Plumbing Fined
On August 1, a worker nearly died in San Mateo when a trench over 9 feet deep collapsed during a residential sewer line project, according to California OSHA.
A worker in his 30s was partially buried and rescued about an hour later. He was hospitalized and survived, according to media reports at the time.
On February 10, Cal/OSHA reported it had cited two companies – Smelly Mel’s Plumbing and Sewer Rat Plumbing – each with eight violations for the incident. Fines were also split between the companies and totaled $529,640.
The violations included two designated as “willful,” Cal/OSHA said, “meaning the businesses were aware of the safety hazards, had prior warning and still failed to take corrective action.”
The violations are as follows, according to Cal/OSHA: no adequate cave-in protection, no safe exit from the trench, no inspection of the trench before workers entered, no protection from debris falling into the trench, no proper foot protection, which exposed a worker to a jackhammer injury, no one trained to provide first aid, violation of Cal/OSHA for permitting requirements and no toolbox safety meetings on the jobsite.
“Trench collapses remain one of the most serious hazards in construction, and employers must take all necessary steps to protect their employees,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee. “These citations serve as a reminder that businesses must prioritize worker safety, especially during high-risk operations to avoid tragic accidents.”
Pipefitter Dies in Michigan
A 34-year-old senior foreman pipefitter died in a trench collapse February 12 at Jellystone Campground in Sanilac County.
The trench was reportedly 8 feet deep and was dug for a sewer installation project. It took nearly eight hours to recover the body, as the trench was too unstable for rescuers to enter.
South Carolina Cave-in
A worker died in a trench February 17 in Newberry County, South Carolina, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The worker was installing a water line when the 6-foot-deep trench collapsed and trapped him. “Fellow workers attempted to rescue the individual but were unsuccessful,” the sheriff reported.
The coroner identified the deceased as Anthony Marquet Hollowman, 53, of Bishopville.
The sheriff reported that four emergency services agencies responded to the incident, including two with expertise in trench and confined space rescue operations.
