Five Causes of Trench Accidents

Trenches are a common sight in the construction industry and present several dangers. These include falls, cave-ins, dangerous fumes and gases, and worker vulnerability to falling loads from above. The greatest danger however, is a cave-in on the workers inside the trench. Here are five factors that cause cave-in trench accidents: Inadequate Protection Systems in Place A vertical wall of soil is generally unstable. Although it may initially hold up when the soil conditions are right, disturbances such as vibration or changes in the soil's moisture can cause the wall to collapse. To ensure worker safety, appropriate protection systems are required. Depending on...