One worker died while two others survived a trench collapse at a major Massachusetts construction site, according to media reports.
The trench dug near 152 South Shore Drive in South Yarmouth, Mass., collapsed shortly before police arrived on the scene at 8:50 a.m. Nov. 18, according to the police department’s Facebook post.
One worker jumped into the trench to help his colleagues and escaped on his own before being transported to Cape Cod Hospital. Another worker was buried up to his waist and had to be extricated by rescue crews before he was airlifted to a hospital in Rhode Island, according to media reports.
“We had a big collapse in the trench that kept happening while we were trying to get it out,” Yarrmouth Fire Chief Enrique Arrascue told reporters during a news conference.
The dead worker was removed from the ditch by rescuers around 2.45pm
According to a media report, Revoli Construction Co. Inc. was carrying out sewer work at the time of the accident.
The company could not be reached for comment.
The Franklin, Mass.-based company has had six referrals and complaints to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the past six years, including earlier this year when it was cited for failing to maintain a safety program to inspect workplaces, materials and equipment. The company settled with OSHA in 2023 after being cited for not having the proper protections for trench work.
“The company has a troubling history of significant health and safety violations, including previous incidents that raised serious concerns about its commitment to worker safety,” Tatiana Sofia Begault, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), said in a statement to Insurance Journal.
According to a city website, the first phase of a comprehensive wastewater/collection system project includes properties near South Shore Drive where the accident happened.
The approximately The $18 million project awarded to Revoli involves the construction of new sewer mains, main power, pump station and associated water main replacements along Route 28 and South Shore Drive. The effort includes the installation of more than 16,000 feet of gravity sewers ranging from 8 inches to 18 inches in diameter, along with precast enclosures, service connections and associated fittings. Crews are also constructing 4,600 feet of 6-in. main force, connecting the new pipes to the city-wide collection system.
The eight-phase wastewater collection system project aligns with Massachusetts Department of Transportation road work along Route 28.
