Trench Collapse Injury Lawyers: Personal Injury Lawyers

Have you or a loved one been injured in a trench collapse in Texas? Our Law Office is here to help.

Every year, thousands of miles of trenches are dug in the United States. Trenches are used to install utilities, bury cables, and pour foundations. When done improperly, excavation and trenching expose employees to an extreme degree of unnecessary risk, including serious traumatic injury and wrongful death.

The greatest risk posed to employees while performing an excavation is the collapse of a trench or a cave-in. A trench collapse often results in catastrophic injuries including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, asphyxiation, crush injuries, drowning, and death. OSHA recommended trench protective systems and regulations personal injury attorneys

OSHA recommends the use of three separate types of protective systems for trenches, including sloping, shoring, and shielding. Sloping refers to how the trench wall is cut. Cutting the trench wall at an inclined angle away from the excavation will offer a degree of safety to workers inside the trench. Shoring refers to installing hydraulic or aluminum supports in the trench to prevent the movement of soil on the sides of the trench. Shielding refers to the use of a trench box or similar device to prevent soil from caving in.

As a result of the danger associated with trench collapses, OSHA has promulgated a number of regulations concerning the construction and protection required for trenches. OSHA regulations require that trenches five feet deep or greater have a protective system in place. Trenches that are deeper than twenty-five feet deep require that the protective system be designed by an engineer. OSHA Standards require that a competent person inspect a trench on a daily basis prior to use by workers. OSHA also recommends keeping heavy equipment at least two feet away from the edge of a trench and to provide ladders or stairs for access to all trenched greater than four feet deep.

Your employer owes their employees a duty to keep the workplace reasonably safe. This includes ensuring that all applicable OSHA rules and regulations are being followed, and ensuring that you are properly trained and equipped to perform your job duties. If you or a loved one has been involved in a trench or excavation accident, contact our Law Office for a free consultation. A wrongful death suit attorney at our Law Office will explain the law, your rights, and the legal process.

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