2 Workers Killed, 4 Injured in Separate Trench Collapses

Safety at Work

Clermont County, OH (WorkersCompensation.com) – Two workers were killed and four were injured in two separate trench collapses in the past month.

In Clermont County, Ohio, one person was killed and two were hospitalized after an incident on Dec. 5. The three men were installing underground pipes near Valley Forge Drive and became trapped, officials said, when the trench they were working in collapsed.

Police said the collapse was reported around 3:49 p.m., but rescue teams were not able to get the second survivor out of the trench until nearly 10 p.m. Fire personnel arrived at Miami Township neighborhood and found a man in the trench trying to dig out two other men. One of the men was completely buried, Miami Township Fire Chief Dave Jetter said.

The Hamilton County Urban Search and Rescue team, as well as other fire departments and agencies, responded to the scene in the yard between two properties. At 6:04 p.m., officials confirmed one of the men had died inside the trench. A little over an hour later, at 7:15 p.m., the first survivor was rescued and taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

At 8:30 p.m., Jetter said the body of the deceased man was “entangled with the lower extremities” of the second surviving worker. The remaining survivor was conscious and in stable condition at the time, but both of the men were partially buried in mud that had compacted due to the collapse.

Jetter said the rescue was complicated by the mud, which had become difficult to dislodge in the cold conditions. At the time of the incident, the temperature in the Cincinnati area was 26 degrees with clear skies and snow on the ground. The trench grew from eight to 10 feet deep and collapsed a second time as rescue workers were attempting to extricate the survivors.

Shortly after 9:30 p.m., officials said the second survivor was rescued. The body of the deceased worker was recovered later, Miami Township police Cpl. Ryan Rees said.

None of the men were identified but were between 20 and 40 years old and spoke Spanish. An interpreter was brought in to assist with communication. Jetter said the first survivor was in critical condition, likely suffering from hypothermia and possible leg and back injuries.

Jetter said the men were not using a trench box, the protective system required by OSHA when working in deep trenches. Officials said they believed the sides of the trench were not able to support the sides.

It was not clear who the men worked for, but the men were working for a private contractor and not the city or any utility company, officials said.

It was the second trench collapse in as many weeks.

In Yarmouth, Mass., town officials said one man died and another two were injured in that city when a trench collapsed. Officials said Miguel Reis, 61, of Fall River, was killed while working on a trench for a sewer construction project when the trench collapsed just before 9 a.m. on Nov. 18.

Two other workers were injured, and one was taken to Rhode Island Hospital. In a press release, the Yarmouth Select Board and Town Administrator offered their thoughts for the family of the deceased and injured workers.

"Our hearts are with both families, their loved ones, and all who are grieving during this very difficult time," the release read.

The collapse remains under investigation by the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office and OSHA.

News crews identified the trucks at the work site as having Revoli Construction branding. An investigation into the company found that it had been cited by OSHA in 2023 and had paid a fine as part of a settlement for that citation. Additionally, the company has two other Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations including one for failing to protect employees working in a trench, exposing them to a potential cave-in, and another for failing to maintain a safety program and exposing worker to arc flash, electrical burns, electric shock and electrocution.

Officials said OSHA is investigating the incident.

OSHA data shows that between 12 and 39 deaths have happened due to trench collapses between 2021 and 2024. The long-term average is between 20 and 35 deaths annually. In 2022, the country saw a record 39 deaths, up from 15 the year before.

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