Construction Laborer Killed in Trench Collapse While Taking Grade Measurements, Kentucky

SUMMARY

On Wednesday, May 4, 2016 a 22-year-old male construction laborer (victim) was assisting an excavator operator who was digging a 13.4 ft. section of a trench along a two-lane roadway. At approximately 9:30 am, the victim entered the trench, which was lacking proper cave-in protection, by running down into it, to take grade measurements as instructed by the excavator operator. As the victim was taking measurements, the excavator operator noticed the soil shifting on the vertical trench wall, and yelled for the victim to get out. The victim tried to jump out of the trench to escape but was buried beneath the collapsing soil.

Construction Laborer Killed in Trench Collapse While Taking Grade Measurements, Kentucky [PDF 806 KB]