Damage Prevention & Safety
Toronto landscaper pleads guilty in striking Enbridge gas pipeline
Ontario-based Orin Landscaping Inc. has pleaded guilty to striking and damaging a natural gas pipeline operated by Enbridge. This marks the second guilty plea this year for pipeline strikes in Ontario. The company was found guilty of an offence under Ontario Regulation 210/01 of the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000.
Employer in fatal Mobile, Ala., sewer accident had prior OSHA safety citations
OSHA is investigating the deaths of two Alabama sewer workers whose employer was previously cited for failing to provide fall protection and hazard communication training during a 2023 manhole project.
Massive water main break in Chicago suburb leads to sky-high geyser
A 48-inch water main was hit by a construction crew in Chicago's Norwood Park Township, sending a huge geyser of water shooting into the sky, CBS News Chicago reported. The incident happened earlier this week, when an engineering firm drilling in the area accidentally hit the water main and caused it to burst.
2 workers killed, 1 injured while working on sewer line in Mobile, Ala.
Two contractors working on a sewer line near Mobile, Ala., died Monday after becoming disoriented and losing consciousness in a confined space, according to fire officials. A spokesperson for the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) cited toxic gas, possibly hydrogen sulfide, as the likely cause.
OSHA urges safe trench practices following string of recent collapses, fatalities
Following a recent series of trench collapses in the Midwest, including 11 fatalities so far in 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is urging workplaces to take the necessary steps to safeguard workers from well-known industry hazards that can be prevented when the required protections are used.
Worker killed in Goodyear, Ariz., trench collapse during construction rescue effort
A 44-year-old worker died after being trapped for hours in a trench collapse at a Goodyear, Arizona, construction site. Officials say the rescue was hampered by unstable conditions and remains under investigation.
Respirators: Proper selection and fitting
Personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees exists to prevent injury and illness. This goal can only happen when the proper equipment is chosen and properly fitted to the employee. Respiratory protection is one type of PPE designed for this purpose.
LA tunnel work at 'full stop' following collapse, ongoing investigation
Construction work on an LA wastewater tunnel project remains paused following a partial collapse earlier this month in which nearly 30 workers were trapped, and later rescued.
Underground fires likely caused by aging infrastructure, Baltimore officials say
Three underground fires in the past 18 months have prompted the city of Baltimore, Md., to launch an investigation, CBS News reported. City officials have met with several public safety agencies, and have hired engineering firm RTI to dive deeper into what’s been causing the fires.
Worker killed in Baltimore trench collapse
One construction worker was killed Tuesday after a trench he was working in partially collapsed in Baltimore County, Md., according to fire and police officials. According to CBS News, 50-year-old Luis Medrano was working in the trench when it began to fill with water, causing a partial collapse.
Columbus, Ohio, residents raise safety concerns over $30 million sewer, water project
Columbus, Ohio, residents are raising alarms over a $30 million sewer and water project after reports of unsecured construction sites where children were seen playing near open excavations.
Two workers rescued from trench collapse in Sunbury, Ohio
Two Ohio construction workers were rescued after a trench they were working in collapsed, 10 WBNS News reported. According to officials, the workers at the site were installing storm drains and wastewater treatment plant piping about 30 feet underground when the collapse occurred, burying one worker up to his neck.
Missouri enacts new standards for safe digging following fatal gas explosion
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe on Monday signed SB133, intended to reduce the risk of damage to the state’s buried utility lines, the type of incident that caused the fatal April 9 explosion in Lexington. The bill adopts Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Best Practices for properly marking buried utilities in advance of digging.
First-of-its-kind notification service will improve contractor safety at former defense sites
Line-Scape, a technology leader in underground utility safety and underground visualization, on Friday announced a groundbreaking partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to enhance public and contractor safety around Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDs).
31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
A massive rescue operation was launched last night in Los Angeles after a section of an underground tunnel partially collapsed, according to officials. A total of 31 workers were brought out safely, according to multiple news outlets. The collapse occurred 400 feet underground as workers were operating a tunnel boring machine.
Ala. man survives being pulled into flooded drainage pipe, carried 500 feet underground
A man in Alabama survived a harrowing ordeal last week after he was sucked into a flooded drainage pipe and swept hundreds of feet through an underground pipe system during severe weather. According to NBC affiliate WVTM 13, the city of Trussville's public works department is currently reviewing options to improve stormwater safety and reduce future flooding risks.
Two workers hospitalized after trench collapse in Anderson, S.C.
Two construction workers were rescued and rushed to the hospital after a trench collapsed on them in Anderson County, South Carolina. Fire officials responded to an emergency rescue call at the site on Tuesday, FOX Carolina News reported.
Harrisburg, Pa., house blast triggers PUC complaints over pipeline-safety lapses
The Pennsylvania PUC has filed formal complaints against UGI Utilities and Pronto Plumbing, alleging violations of pipeline safety and excavation regulations after a 2022 gas pipeline strike led to a house explosion near Harrisburg.
UTGIS launches new water leak detection systems for Fla. municipalities
Over the next 12 months, Florida-based Utility Testing and Geographic Information Systems (UTGIS) will be introducing new technologies and methodologies to help municipalities and utilities identify leaks in their water distribution systems.
HDD Association tackles industry issues, needs for small, large drillers
Surprisingly, it’s been more challenging than expected to prove to company owners that there’s value in correctly and safely performing horizontal directional drilling (HDD), observed Don Riggs, long-time owner/operator and HDD advocate. For the last two years, Riggs has served as HDDA’s inaugural president, and one of the top priorities of this new organization has been safety-focused education and training.
PHMSA publishes advisory bulletin on pipeline safety
Perhaps in an effort to convince Congress to lay off, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) just issued an advisory bulletin to promote the implementation of pipeline safety management systems (PSMS) by regulated pipeline owners and operators.
Emergency pipeline repair completed in Santa Maria, Calif.; water flows resume
Emergency repairs to the State Water pipeline that supplies Santa Maria, California, have been completed, allowing for the resumption of normal water usage, according to the Santa Maria Times. Deliveries from the State Water Project resumed on Sunday after a prompt response from the Central Coast Water Authority and the California Department of Water Resources.
Two workers injured in Wash. trench collapse; stop-work order issued
Two workers were rescued following a trench collapse at a housing construction site in Prosser on Sunday morning, as reported by West Benton Fire Rescue and the Tri-City Herald. As a result, the city issued a stop-work order to the contractors responsible, citing OSHA violations.
Texas construction worker killed in trench collapse; OSHA investigation underway
A construction worker died after being pulled from a collapsed trench at a Mabank, Texas job site. OSHA is investigating the cause of the fatal incident.
Dallas reduces water loss by 1.6 million gallons daily with advances in leak detection, pipe repairs
Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) has managed to reduce water loss by 1.6 million gallons daily through proactive pipeline repairs and leak detection technology, The Dallas Express reported. The utility manages over 5,077 miles of water mains covering 700 square miles. Its Leak Detection Program employs advanced technologies to identify non-surfacing and hard-to-detect leaks throughout the system every 2.5 years.
Worker dies after trench collapse at sewer project site in Norwich, Conn.
A man working on a sewer connection project in Norwich died June 13 after a trench collapsed at the job site, according to officials.
Undergrounding pilot program in Michigan proves effective against severe weather
Underground lines currently make up about 15% of all Consumers Energy electric lines, most being in subdivisions and areas with high population density. Burying lines improves reliability by 90% or more. In the next 5 years, the company aims to bury over 1,000 miles of line, subject to regulatory approval.
Worker airlifted after injury in 15-foot trench in Woodland, Wash.
A construction worker was seriously injured in a 15-foot trench in Woodland, Washington, after being struck by equipment. Crews from multiple agencies conducted a complex rescue before the worker was airlifted to a hospital.
Canadian plumbing company faces 11 charges over fatal 2023 trench collapse
Calgary-based Mr. Mike’s Plumbing is facing 11 charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act following a June 2023 trench collapse that killed one employee. The charges include failing to ensure worker safety, failing to stabilize an excavation site by shoring and failing to ensure a worker is protected from cave-ins at an excavation site, CBC News reported.
Atlanta preps for major infrastructure overhaul one year after water main breaks
According to Axios Atlanta, Saturday marked one year since two major water main breaks on the same day highlighted a larger issue in the city of Atlanta. Since then, officials have been working on a long-term plan to upgrade Atlanta’s aging water infrastructure and prevent similar problems in the future.
- 2 workers killed, 1 injured while working on sewer line in Mobile, Ala.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico
- Tunnel boring continues under Chesapeake Bay for $3.9 billion HRBT Expansion project
- Judge approves construction for key portion of $485 million pipeline in Larimer County, Colo.
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- New products: Latest industry developments
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- Ohio Supreme Court rules sewer line location isn’t a ‘defect’ in property dispute
- Faulconer Construction begins rock blasting for water pipeline project in Charlottesville, Va.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico