Damage Prevention & Safety
Understanding the ‘competent person’ and this critical role
Excavations are integral to underground infrastructure construction, but they pose significant dangers for workers when improperly planned or managed. On average, more than 20 workers die from trench cave-ins each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Arcosa Shoring Products launches new system to improve trench safety
Arcosa Shoring Products recently unveiled their patent-pending Convert-A-Shore system that makes changing a hydraulic vertical shore from a multi-cylinder shore to a single shore (and vice-versa) quick and easy.
H2scan’s HY-VAULT system improves safety for underground vault transformer monitoring
To reduce transformer failure risks, utilities traditionally use periodic manual oil sampling to assess asset health for these difficult-to-reach and potentially dangerous underground assets. H2scan's HY-VAULT™ system provides utilities with a cost-effective continuous monitoring solution that improves safety.
Ottawa, Canada contractor strikes 11 gas lines over 15-month span during tunnel, pipeline work
Thomas Cavanagh Construction Limited has pleaded guilty to five safety violations after damaging multiple gas lines during a series of tunnel and pipeline upgrade projects in Ottawa.
OSHA fines Calif. company for violations that led to fatal trench collapse
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has issued $157,500 in citations to W. A. Rasic Construction for multiple violations of workplace safety regulations following a fatal trench collapse. The incident resulted in the tragic death of an employee working in an unprotected excavation.
Editor’s Log: Old problems, redux
In this month’s Editor’s Log, Editor-in-Chief Robert Carpenter delves into the growing tension between fiber optic installations and aging underground infrastructure in Katy, Texas. As the city halts fiber projects over repeated water line strikes, Carpenter explores the broader implications for utility safety, contractor responsibility, and the need for better locating practices nationwide.
Los Alamos, N.M., hit by second network outage after fiber line breaks during construction
For the second time in a week, Los Alamos, N.M., experienced a network outage on March 17 after construction crews accidentally severed fiber lines along NM-4.
Worm-like robot burrows underground to cut power line installation costs
The innovation, known as a "peristaltic conduit," mimics the segmented movement of earthworms to propel itself through the soil with minimal disruption to existing infrastructure.
Katy, Texas passes moratorium on fiber-optics projects after damage to water lines
According to The Houston Chronicle, city council in Katy, Texas has unanimously voted to pass a moratorium on fiber-optics projects after construction damage has repeatedly broken water lines. Fiber optics companies will now be required to sign a contract and coordinate with the city before digging.
Two workers killed in Maryland trench collapse during home renovation
Two construction workers were killed on Feb. 28 after a trench collapsed while they were working on a home renovation project in Catonsville, Maryland, fire officials confirmed.
Turning awareness into action: 811 call centers
Despite widespread awareness of 811 requirements, damage to underground utilities remains high. This article urges contractors to consistently use state OneCall centers and provides a full directory for safe digging compliance.
Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
According to CBS News, two construction workers in Wyandotte, Mich., were rescued Tuesday evening after being trapped for nearly four hours in a collapsed trench. Wyandotte Fire Chief Jeremy Moline told authorities the men were excavating a hole about 15 feet deep when the trench collapsed.
United Rentals highlights connected worksite strategies for safety, productivity
United Rentals Inc. has outlined strategies for construction, industrial, and manufacturing companies to enhance worksite performance by integrating data-driven solutions.
Construction worker killed in trench collapse near Prosperity, S.C.
A construction worker was killed when a trench collapsed while he was installing a water line, according to Newberry County authorities.
Smelly Mel’s, Sewer Rat Plumbing fined nearly $530,000 after San Mateo, Calif., trench collapse
California workplace safety regulators have fined Smelly Mel’s Plumbing and Sewer Rat Plumbing a combined $529,640 for safety violations linked to a trench collapse that seriously injured a construction worker in San Mateo on Aug. 1, 2024.
Maryland lawmakers push to curb BGE pipeline spending, citing safety and cost concerns
Maryland lawmakers and regulators are raising concerns over Baltimore Gas & Electric’s (BGE) multibillion-dollar pipeline replacement program, citing rising costs for consumers and questions about its effectiveness in improving safety.
Fiber broadband deployment costs stabilizing, report finds
The Fiber Broadband Association’s latest Fiber Deployment Cost Annual Report, conducted by Cartesian, shows that broadband service providers expect fiber deployment costs to remain steady or rise slightly—less than 10%—compared to 2024. This marks an improvement from the previous year’s study, which reported steeper cost increases.
Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
A construction worker was killed Wednesday, Feb. 5 after an eight-foot-deep trench he was working in collapsed in southwest Houston, according to ABC13 Eyewitness News and the Houston Fire Department (HFD).
OSHA cites Florida utility company for safety violations that led to worker’s fatality
A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found that a Florida utility company could have prevented an explosion at a Port Saint Lucie worksite in June 2024 that claimed a 24-year-old worker's life, by implementing proper safety measures to address the hazards of inflatable pipe plugs.
Extensive sewer, water and power infrastructure damage from LA fires
The wildfires that have devasted the LA area and destroyed at least 12,000 structures have also caused significant damage to the area’s sewer, water and power infrastructure, according to The Construction Dive.
OSHA cites Glenburn, Maine contractor in fatal trench collapse at Brownville worksite
While installing storm drainage pipes at a Brownville worksite, a retaining wall collapsed, killing one worker and injuring another. OSHA cited Patriot Paving Group LLC for multiple safety violations, including failing to brace the wall and remove workers from the hazardous trench.
Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found a Frisco, Texas, contractor repeatedly exposed workers to serious hazards by sending them into unprotected trenches without providing a means of escape.
OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
OSHA has cited two Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites in Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. Inspectors found workers exposed to cave-in hazards without proper protections, prompting citations for willful and serious violations.
Pennsylvania 811 hits milestone with one millionth dig notification
Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc., dba Pennsylvania 811, recently hit a milestone with its one millionth dig notification received for the year on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 at 1516.
Gigapower’s Arizona fiber rollout linked to infrastructure damage, CWA report says
In Mesa, Arizona, where Gigapower began fiber deployment in early 2023, subcontractors have reportedly caused over 40 underground utility hits, including damages to electric, gas, water, and telecommunications lines, totaling more than $135,000 in repairs.
CGA report underscores progress, challenges of buried utilities damage prevention
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the national nonprofit trade association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them and their communities, recently published its 2023 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report.
UTGIS launches voltage testing service to prevent pipe corrosion in water and gas systems
Corrosion is frequently cited as a leading cause of damage to buried municipal water and gas systems. While there are several external conditions that can cause pipeline corrosion, electrical voltage is one of the leading culprits.
Worker deaths decline amid OSHA crackdown on high-risk trench and fall hazards
According to preliminary data, fatalities in key high-risk areas like trench collapses and falls, which are among the leading causes of death for construction workers, have notably declined.
OSHA proposed rule on heat exposure raises ire from construction industry
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a proposed rule in July that would affect all employers nationwide and require, among other things, a written heat injury and illness prevention plan, substantial heat-injury-related precautions, training and regular, comprehensive program reviews and updates.
First look: Software program assists contractors with 811 process
Earlier this year, my husband and I had a fence replaced, and we failed to call 811 before the workers began digging. We didn’t even think about it – and we’re not the only ones.
- Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Construction worker killed in trench collapse near Prosperity, S.C.
- Final construction phase kicks off for Indianapolis deep rock tunnel
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
- Nevada OSHA fines Elon Musk's Boring Company over safety violations in Vegas tunnel project
- WES tunnel boring machine retrieved from Oregon river after seven-month project