It Happened So Quickly

A couple of weeks ago, in Times Square, a construction accident occurred in which one worker was seriously injured and a couple of other workers received minor injuries. It happened when an old underground wall collapsed pouring debris into the 10 foot excavation in which the men were working. (Read the whole story in the NY Daily News).

As construction safety personnel, we continually remind their workers of the hazards associated with excavations and often hear things like "it's only 6 feet deep," or "I'll only be there for a minute." THERE IS NO SAFE EXCAVATION! The article in the Daily News cites one worker's comments that bear repeating to our workers, "It all happened so quickly - like an avalanche;" and "I barely got out of the way. ... There was really no time to react." His comments should be stenciled on the foreheads of anyone who must enter an open excavation. You are NOT safe for even a few seconds in an unprotected trench or excavation.

The injured workers in this story understand that their lives were narrowly spared. I doubt that they will ever enter an unprotected excavation ever again.