It’s been a long time since we posted anything special ops related. Thankfully, Chris Wilson from Bloomingdale Fire sent in these shots of an interesting trench. He pointed out the photos actually came from Chief Dave Traiforos. Apparently, Franklin Park Engine 3 ran into this while returning to quarters from a working fire. They found workers in this trench about 10′ under the machine. After a short discussion, the worked was stopped and OSHA was called. We can hear it now: “…but we’ve been doing it that way for years”
Went to a trench collapse pretty similar when I was probationary. Guy didnt survive though. On new years eve none the less. Great job on spotting it. Be safe.
I am curious, do any departments SOP’s out among the viewing crowds here, dictate the stoping unsafe procedures once your made aware of them? We have come across something similar in the past here and upper people have said we have no authority to stop it unless we are called to the scene for someone trapped.
If you know of anything in your agency or just want to discuss your common practices, I would be interested. Thanks.
Stay safe.
I have called OSHA to report non-compliant trenches when the workers are in over their head (no pun intended). While OSHA regs state a trench needs to be at least 5 fet deep, most in my area appear to be right around 5 feet so I only get curious when I cannot see a worker who is standing upright in the hole. What I usually find when I look around is that the trench box or Speed Shores are close by but not being used so the workers can save time.
I’m not sure that a fire department has any legal authority to shut down a job site that is non-OSHA compliant. OSHA regulations are based on fedral code that authorizes OSHA to implement and enforce the regulations. I’d be curous to what legal counsel has to say.
I do know there are plenty of technical rescue team firefighters in the Chicago area who do shut down jobs when shoring is not being used. Whether or not it is based on an SOP or municipal ordinance is unknown.
I’m not 100% on this one,but some time ago I took an OSHA safety class on construction site reg’s and I
believe that their people are required to stop at any excavation they happen upon,on the clock, or not
I too have seen things like this on a couple of occasions. I have also wondered, as volunteer fire and rescue, what authority we have. I have also seen a vol. station post pictures of their members helping a victum out of a trench collapse with no shoring, ladders, etc., also with a fatality in the same trench. People need to stop and think in some situations, you don’t go in like you’re “fighting fire”.
the mass law says a fire chief or anyone he gives authority too can stop something that MAY cause the need for emergency extracation. while I may be reading into that it tells me we CAN stop it. I call OSHA if necessary but in my experience when I’ve shown up, in uniform, and told them to get out, they do. if not get the police detail over and tell him the guy is violating the law being in there and the cop wont want that on his shoulders, he’ll tell them to get out.
I work at in a small city in Texas and we have stopped workers on several occasions in several locations that didn’t comply with OSHA. I’m not sure if we were in legal right to do so, but hey, feel free to take your illegal work to court! In most cases, we will call a chief in to do the dirty work so we can at least CYA. Our city also runs the area trench/confined space team so most of our guys are up on their regulations.
Ok thats just assinine!!! I work as a heavy equipment operator on my days off and that right there is an example of incompetent operators. Not only are you not suppose to work in a trench over your head without trench boxes or without grooming the slopes ( create OTHER THAN vertical slopes in case of slop over) but the machine should NEVER be placed over the edges of the hole!!!! That is one crew of guys waiting for the Darwin award!