Safety / OSHA← Search
HIGHWAY 52, CANNON FALLS, MN 55009
Standard 19260651 B04
Initial $14,000
Standard 19260652 A01
Initial $14,000
Standard 19260651 H01
Initial $14,000
Standard 19260651 C02
Initial $2,000
Employee killed when excavation caves in
At approximately 3:15 p.m. on October 15, 1996, Employee #1, age 20, and two cow orkers were repairing a water pipe in a 10 ft deep excavation. A large section o f the west wall and a section of the south wall collapsed, completely burying Em ployee #1 under 1 1/2 to 2 feet of sand, and burying his coworkers to their wais ts. A backhoe operator working nearby began digging out the two standing coworke rs while yelling to another coworker to call 911. When the buried men were freed , they began digging for Employee #1, and were soon joined by fire and other eme rgency personnel. Employee #1's head was uncovered first, and the rescuers attem pted to get him breathing while the rest of his body was dug free. Employee #1 w as pronounced dead at the scene at 4:26 p.m. Apparent hazards identified at the site included an accumulation of water, lack of proper sloping of the excavation walls, inadequate protection of the excavation surface, and obstructed egress.
Data sourced from Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry, Minnesota Attorney General, federal OSHA, and municipal permit offices. Records are public and may not reflect pending appeals or corrections.