OSHA probes Cape Coral, Fla., trench incident after worker trapped under pipe

(UI) — Federal safety regulators have launched an investigation after a construction worker was trapped beneath a pipe at a job site in Cape Coral, Florida, where trench protection measures were reportedly not in place, according to Gulf Coast News.

Emergency crews responded to the incident and found the worker pinned inside a trench that did not have a trench box, a key safety system designed to prevent cave-ins. Firefighters stabilized the area by building a temporary barrier to keep soil from collapsing further.

The rescue took approximately two hours, with crews using vacuum equipment to carefully remove material around the worker before freeing him.

Battalion Chief Jason Huffman of the Cape Coral Fire Department explained, "Trenches here in Southwest Florida can be kind of precarious. They don't like to hold their sides. So we typically, construction companies use trench boxes, to keep that out so they can provide safe working areas for their workers."

The incident occurred at a construction site tied to a Lee Health project north of Veterans Parkway, where work has since been halted. The contractor, DeAngelis Diamond Construction, has secured the site and is cooperating with investigators.

Officials indicated the situation could have been more severe under different conditions, noting that dry season soil conditions may have helped prevent further complications during the rescue.

OSHA’s investigation is expected to take several months as regulators review safety practices at the site, including the absence of trench protection systems, according to Gulf Coast News.

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