Trench Rescue Potential

[x635 4,066]

Here is a photo of a worker head-deep digging in a trench at a construction site I passed recently in my travels. It was a trench dug through asphalt and concrete, into soil to get pipes it appeared.

Sorry for the grainy quality, but I had to use the super zoom feature on my little camera.

Now, I've seen this situation numerous times, in a number of communities. OSHA can't be out inspecting every worksite, but as firefighters should we be concientous and aware of situations like this, and also have a plan to deal with an emergency should this trench collapse?

Also, many of the guys I see in this trench are illegal, undocumented laborers. If anything happens to them (when it's only them digging in the trench) it's pretty easy to cover up. And also, what happens to this guys family if he gets seriously injured or killed because of his employers laziness or negligence?

Many of these trenches are just quickly dug, what's needed to be done is done, and then they are refilled....but does that mean the proper safety precautions and supervision should be overlooked? I'm not really aware of what the specific regulations are for digging trenches, but I feel really bad for this guy being put into this situation just to make a living.

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Edited December 23, 2006 by x635