Trenches are a necessary but incredibly dangerous, location on construction sites that can be easily exposed to damage. Though they are needed for creating foundations or providing passageways for the installation of electrical or plumbing systems, trenches come with risk.
Failing to use the correct equipment or failing to properly assess the ground before digging a trench can endanger workers. These enclosed spaces, including tunnels, mines, sewers, storm water drains, and manholes, can injure people in many ways, such as:
- Broken gas lines causing explosion or suffocation
- Contact with exposed underground electrical lines leading to electrocution
- Falling construction equipment
- Trench collapse caused by improper shoring or supports
- Water infiltration leading to drowning
Injuries sustained from a trench accident can dramatically change a person’s life, and can include brain damage, spinal cord injuries, suffocation and death. If you have been involved in a trench accident, please call a Kolsby Gordon attorney today.
