A worker was seriously injured last week, following a trench collapse in Austin, Texas.
The accident occurred around 9:56 a.m. on Saturday, December 6th, at 6903 Deatonhill Drive, near William Cannon Drive and West Gate Boulevard.
An unidentified worker in his 30s was under a building at the Flagstone Terrace Condominiums attempting to fix a plumbing issue, when the trench he was working in collapsed.
Worker Sustained Critical, Life-Threatening Injuries
“The crew were there earlier this morning. They were digging, and singing and talking and laughing, just regular,” one witness told News4 San Antonio. “I believe they were filling it up, because it’s been a gaping giant hole for over a month now.”
“Part of the wall fell in on him. His buddies were able to pull him out,” he continued.
The Austin Fire Department and Austin-Travis County EMS responded to the incident, EMS performed CPR on the victim until his pulse was restored. The worker was then transferred to St. David’s South Austin Medical, with critical, life-threatening injuries.
The incident remains under investigation.
Texas Leads Nation in Trench Collapse Fatalities
Unfortunately, trench collapses that injure and kill workers are not unusual in Texas.
In fact, a report that aired on KIITV just last month indicated that Texas leads the nation in trench collapse fatalities.
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 23 workers nationwide were killed due to a trench collapse last year. Another 12 were injured. Two of those fatalities occurred in Texas.
Trench collapses have killed three Texas workers this year.
Trench Collapse Often Proves Deadly
Rescuing a worker from a trench collapse is often difficult, because it usually involves hand-digging. Deaths are all too common, as an individual can only survive a few minutes under what may be thousands of pounds a dirt.
“So by the time the rescuers get to the scene, come up with a plan of action and start executing that plan of action, time’s against that victim,” Mario Vasquez of Houston-based National Trench Safety, told KIITV. “Especially if they’re buried completely. They can’t breathe, so more than likely they’re going to expire.”
Proper digging and bracing to prevent collapse is the only way to ensure workers’ safety.
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