Machine Injury & Accidents

Date	City	State	Employer	Body Part	Event
2021-10-23	Austin	Tx	D Guerra Construction LLC	Brain	Excavation or trenching cave-in
Two employees were in a sewer line trench when it collapsed. One of them was buried completely and suffered swelling of the brain.
2021-09-24	Philadelphia	Pa	U.S. Facilities Inc.	Lung(s), pleura	Exposure to other harmful substances
An employee was exposed to sewage while removing and replacing a sewer pipe. The employee became ill and was hospitalized.
2021-08-16	Altamonte Springs	Fl	ROW Solution, LLC.	Lower leg(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
On August 16, 2021, an employee was using a concrete saw cutter to cut an 8-inch diameter PVC sewer pipe when the blade contacted his left calf, resulting in a laceration that required hospitalization.
2021-07-27	Fairburn	Ga	Atlas Technical Consultants LLC	Foot (feet)	Fall through surface or existing opening
While pushing a distance wheel, an employee stepped on a sewer manhole cover that gave way, resulting in an injured right foot.
2021-07-18	Beaver	Wv	Patty's Inc.	Nonclassifiable	Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids
There was a natural gas leak in the sewer line of a facility. An employee lit a cigarette, which ignited the natural gas and resulted in an explosion inside the store. The employee suffered burns and was hospitalized.
2021-05-18	Beloit	Wi	Rock Road Companies, Inc.	Thigh(s)	Struck by swinging part of powered vehicle
An employee was connecting a wire rope choker to a section of 36-inch concrete sewer pipe. After connecting the choker, a backhoe lifted the section of pipe. As the pipe section was being lifted it began to spin and struck the employee pinning his right leg against a section of stationary pipe. The employee sustained a fractured right femur and lacerations.
2021-04-16	Augusta	Ga	Tractor and Equipment Company	Multiple body parts	Engulfment in other collapsing material
An employee from Tractor and Equipment Company was standing on the side of a sewer pipe trench at a customer worksite. The ground caved in. The employee fell head-first into the trench and was buried up to his feet. The employee was suffocated by the soil and lost consciousness. The employee was hospitalized for a concussion and fractures.
2021-02-18	Fort Riley	Ks	Corvias	Lower leg(s)	Other fall to lower level
An employee was using a sewer auger machine to clear a blocked drain at a residence. He had inserted the auger into the outside clean-out when he slipped and fell into a drainage culvert, suffering fractures to the right tibia and fibula. He was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
2021-02-01	Bronx	Ny	Empire City Subway	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Sudden start or stop, nonroadway
An employee was driving a backhoe to remove snow when the front loader arm got caught on an elevated sewer casting that was covered in snow, causing the backhoe to stop abruptly. The employee was propelled forward, impacting his chest on the steering wheel. The employee sustained a fractured sternum and a contusion to his chest.
2021-01-07	Tavares	Fl	Ciraco Underground, Inc.	Leg(s)	Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet
Employees had just finished a vacuum test on a sewer manhole. They removed the vacuum test lid from the manhole and were moving to place it into the back of a truck when one of the employees fell into the manhole, landing 13 feet below and suffering a broken left leg.
2020-09-05	Cleveland	Oh	C & K Industrial Services, Inc.	Trunk	Struck by discharged object or substance
On the morning of 9/05/2020, an employee was using a water jet machine to clear a plugged sewer line. Around 11:48 AM, the jetter nozzle struck an obstacle in the line that caused it to change direction back toward the sewer line opening. Once the nozzle reached the opening of the manhole, the backjets sent the nozzle up the manhole. The nozzle struck the employee in the torso, knocked him over, and got caught in the clothes around his torso while still under pressure. The employee sustained pun
2020-08-18	Livonia	Ny	Blue Heron Construction	Leg(s)	Excavation or trenching cave-in
An employee was working on a sewer line in a trench, replacing water line saddles when soil materials broke loose from the trench wall and fell on the employee's leg, fracturing it.
2020-08-17	Claremont	Nh	Green Mountain Pipeline Services, Inc.	Nonclassifiable	Exposure to harmful substances or environments
An employee was installing a pipe liner in a sewer manhole and suffered second-degree burns.
2020-06-29	Nelsonville	Ohio	Stonegate Construction, Inc.	Multiple body parts	Indirect exposure to electricity, greater than 220 volts
The injured employee was assisting in the backfilling of a trench after sewer line and water line repair. A co-worker was directing a waiting vehicle while the injured employee was directing the operator of an excavator that was moving out of the road. The excavator made contact with an overhead electrical line and the injured employee touched the handle on the excavator resulting in a 7400-volt electric shock. The employee was hospitalized for burns to the hand, back and feet.
2020-06-09	Union City	Georgia	Atlas Technical Consultants, LLC	Foot (feet)	Direct exposure to electricity, greater than 220 volts
An employee was surveying a sewer system. His camera equipment touched an overhead line, causing an electrical arc that burned the employee's feet (most severely affecting the left foot).
2020-05-26	Madison	Wisconsin	R.G. Huston Co., Inc.	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to environmental heat
While helping to install a sanitary sewer, an employee became dehydrated and had signs of heat exhaustion.
2020-04-30	Cincinnati	Ohio	People Working Cooperatively	BODY SYSTEMS	Nonclassifiable
While working in a space to unclog a sewer line, an employee became hot, dizzy and nauseated, requiring hospitalization.
2020-04-13	Richardson	Texas	PCI Construction Inc.	Multiple body parts	Fall, slip, trip
An employee was in an excavation about 15 feet deep, probing with a probe bar to find an existing sewer pipe. Part of a step fell and hit him on the knee, causing him to fall. He suffered injuries to his knee and two left-side ribs.
2020-01-06	Bronx	New York	LENDLEASE (US) CONSTRUCTION LMB INC.	Ankle(s)	Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery-other than vehicle part
On, January 6, 2020, an employee was unloading a steel delivery of 15' 9'' long "I" beams. After the steel was taken off the truck by a forklift, it was set down on two A-frames and rolled to a storage location by two employees. There was one employee on each A-frame. The steel on the A-frames was on uneven ground near a curb and sewer drain while the employees waited for help to remove it from the A-frames and place it on the ground. While waiting, one employee walked in between the A-frame and
2019-07-22	Miramar	Florida	REYNOLDS CONSTRUCTION OF FLORIDA, LLC	Multiple trunk locations	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was pinned between the spreader bar of a trench box and an excavator bucket during a sewer main installation. The employee sustained lower lumbar and thoracic compression fractures, a bruised liver, and dislocated ribs.
2019-07-11	Broomfield	Colorado	Granite Construction, Inc.	Toes(s), toenail(s)	Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery-other than vehicle part
Employees were working to re-line sewer lines with a fiberglass liner. The employees had cut out a piece of fiberglass liner and were pulling it up using a forklift and rope when the piece caught on the manhole rim. The rope was severed and the piece fell and struck an employee, who was in the manhole, on the left foot amputating the middle toe.
2019-06-29	Syracuse	New York	Delta Sonic	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee was walking from a carwash exit to a detail shop entrance. The employee transitioned from a rock hardscaped island and was stepping down from the curb when he slipped on a steel storm-sewer grate and fell on the surface of the grate. He fractured his left hip.
2019-04-08	Stromsburg	Nebraska	Gary's Plumbing LLC	Nonclassifiable	Excavation or trenching cave-in
An employee was in a trench for a sewer line. Part of the trench wall collapsed, knocking the employee to his knees and burying him. He suffered bruises and was hospitalized.
2019-02-25	Gulfport	Mississippi	Utility Partners, LLC	Lower leg(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was cutting a band from a bundle of 8-inch sewer pipe with a gas-powered chop saw. The saw's diamond blade struck the employee's lower left leg, cutting it and breaking the tibia. The employee was hospitalized.
2019-02-18	Reno	Texas	JB&L Utility Contractors	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Excavation or trenching cave-in
An employee entered a trench (about 7 feet deep and 7 to 8 feet wide) to install a fitting on a sewer main at the bottom. The trench's one vertical wall collapsed onto the employee, who suffered four broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a broken shoulder blade.
2019-02-15	Milton	Delaware	Milford Housing Development Corporation	Leg(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c.
An employee was installing a sewer pipe in a trench. He was changing the bucket to a smaller bucket using the quick connect attachment on an excavator when the bucket fell on the employee, breaking his leg. He was hospitalized.
2019-02-11	Evanston	Illinois	National Heat & Power Corp.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was using a rodder snake to unclog a 4-inch sewer line. The rod hit a blockage while being pulled back and bound around the employee's left hand severing part of the ring finger at approximately the first knuckle.
2018-09-24	Canton	Ohio	Freshmark	Fingertip(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
On September 24, 2018, an employee was using an electric sewer cleaning machine to unblock a drain. The coil spring got stuck and caught his left ring finger, amputating the tip.
2018-09-20	Denver	Colorado	Sewer Solutions LLC	Multiple body parts	Excavation or trenching cave-in
An employee was fixing a tap on a sewer line. The trench collapsed, inuring the employee's shoulder, ribs, and back. The employee was hospitalized.
2018-07-16	Thibodaux	Louisiana	LA Contracting Enterprise, LLC	Upper arm(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was laying sewer line when their hand was caught between the top of the shoring box and the bottom of the excavator bucket. The employee sustained a fractured forearm.
2018-07-02	Arlington Heights	Illinois	Hoerr Construction, Inc.	Face	Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld, n.e.c.
An employee was cleaning a sewer line with a hydro-jet. While he was pulling the hose, it came too far out of the manhole and the nozzle struck the employee's face, lacerating it.
2018-06-07	Houston	Texas	MMG Contractors, LLC.	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was cutting a precast storm sewer pipe. He slipped off the pipe and cut the left side of his rib cage with the saw.
2018-06-06	Zachary	Louisiana	Georgia-Pacific Consumer Operations LLC	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances
Two maintenance employees received second degree burns on their torso, legs and arms while troubleshooting a pump that moves ambient air, water and paper stock through a sewer/pipe system. The line/pump was plugged and the pump was shut down. After a period of time where the pump was running (not moving water and paper stock) and plugged, the ambient water and paper stock heated up. The maintenance personnel did not realize that the water had heated (temp unknown at time) and proceeded to open t
2018-05-14	Pocatello	Idaho	Track Utilities, LLC	Leg(s)	Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in work zone
An employee was walking with a mini-excavator that was carrying a sewer vault in a marked construction zone on a public roadway. A privately owned vehicle sped through the zone, causing the employee to step sideways into the path of the mini-excavator. The mini-excavator then struck and broke his leg.
2018-04-12	Conroe	Texas	Alcott, Inc.	Hand(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
While installing a sewer line using the horizontal directional drilling method, an employee was helping to add a drill stem to the tail string when his hand got too close to the nylon sling and the drill pipe and was crushed between the two. His right hand was amputated.
2018-04-09	White	Georgia	C. H. Kirkpatrick Construction Company	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was using a chain to install sewer pipes with the assistance of an excavator when his thumb was caught between the chain and the pipe, resulting in a partial amputation.
2018-03-27	Bristol	Pennsylvania	Trumbull Corp	Foot (feet)	Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld
An employee was directing the lowering of a trench box while standing on a sewer inlet when the box swung and crushed his foot between it and the sewer inlet.
2018-02-28	Scottsbluff	Nebraska	Sunshine Holdings, LLC	Shoulder(s), including clavicle(s), scapula(e)	Struck, caught, or crushed in other collapsing structure or equipment
Employees had cut out the concrete slab foundation inside a building that was being remodeled and were placing a sewer line in a 2' deep trench. The injured employee was walking towards the exit when the roof of the structure collapsed, striking and injuring the employee. The employee was hospitalized for treatment of a fractured collar bone and a sprained knee.
2018-01-23	El Paso	Texas	Martinez Brothers Contractors, LLC	Brain	Struck by object or equipment
An employee was in a manhole getting ready to test a pressurized sewer line when the line plug struck the employee's head.
2017-09-18	Newnan	Georgia	Georgia Development Partners, LLC	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was working to cut sewer pipe to a specified size. The employee had cut one side of the pipe with a powered concrete saw and was turning the pipe to cut the opposite side. The saw kicked back and lacerated the employee's chest.
2017-09-12	Pine Bluff	Arkansas	Evergreen Packaging	Multiple lower extremities locations	Contact with hot objects or substances
The employees were bringing the paper machine back online. The waste paper stock went into the overflow chest to be returned to pulp. An employee went out to observe the overflow from the chest in the street to make sure the sewer drain did not clog. As the employee was standing by the sewer drain, the condensate tank released to the same area. The condensate, mixed with the product from the overflow chest, caused the product level at the curb to rise over and into the employee's boots burning h
2017-08-25	Canton	Ohio	MPW Industrial Services, Inc.	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Struck by discharged object or substance
An employee was standing approximately 20 feet away from a coworker that was hooking up a 6,000 psi sewer jet to clean out a pipeline. When the hose was turned on in the truck, the hose came out of the pipeline and sprayed the employee's chest just below the breast line. The employee was cut and hospitalized.
2017-08-17	Holland	Ohio	Bayes Incorporated	Back, including spine, spinal cord	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
On August 17, 2017, an employee was on a step ladder helping to remove a sanitary sewer pipe in a ceiling when the employee fell approximately 4 feet off the step ladder, suffering cracked back vertebrae and requiring hospitalization.
2017-08-11	Biloxi	Mississippi	OSCAR RENDA CONTRACTING	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Contact with objects and equipment
An employee was installing a 6-inch PVC sewer line. As he was holding the pipe, something smashed his thumb against the pipe. He suffered left thumb trauma and a possible fracture, requiring overnight hospitalization.
2017-08-02	Maryland Heights	Missouri	Grease Masters LLC	BODY SYSTEMS	Inhalation of harmful substance-single episode
An employee entered a sewer manhole after flushing the sewer. As he attempted to exit the approximately 91-inch-deep space, he was exposed to hydrogen sulfide and collapsed. He was hospitalized.
2017-07-19	Pennington	Alabama	Georgia Pacific Consumer Products LP	Lower extremities	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee received steam burns to the lower extremities while repairing a sewer grate.
2017-06-12	Delray Beach	Florida	PRINCE LAND, INC.	Multiple body parts	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was attempting to repair an existing clay sewer pipe. He was cutting the pipe with a saw when it kicked back at him, cutting him from the chest to the chin.
2017-05-25	Plant City	Florida	U.S. Water Services Corporation	Leg(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was installing an inflatable flow-through plug into a sewer pipe when the sewer pipe broke. The inflatable plug became dislodged and struck the employee's right leg, breaking it.
2017-05-23	Emery	South Dakota	First Dakota Enterprise, Inc.	Nonclassifiable	Excavation or trenching cave-in
An employee had entered an excavation to remove misaligned sewer piping when the trench collapsed on the employee. The employee was bruised and required hospitalization.
2017-05-06	Saint Simons Island	Georgia	Bio-Nomic Services, Inc.	Hand(s), except finger(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was setting up hoses and chains for a grout packer that was inserted into piping and a sewer manhole. While he was working in the manhole, the grout packer became stuck. As he reached down to release it, the packer took off down the line and lacerated the web area of his right hand between his index finger and thumb.
2017-05-03	Borger	Texas	Phillips 66	Multiple body parts	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids
An employee was clearing the pump to get the turbine ready for maintenance. While flushing the heavy coker gas oil (HCGO) pump, some HCGO got reintroduced into the pipe. When the hot oil (700 degrees) touched the water in the sewer drain, it flashed back and burned the employee. The employee suffered second degree burns to the abdomen and third degree burns to both hands and knees.
2017-04-20	Clarksville	Arkansas	Johnson Industrial Coatings, LLC.	Arm(s)	Struck by object or equipment
An employee was cleaning a sewer drain with a high-pressure hose. The hose had to make a 90 degree turn at the bottom of the manhole. Instead of making that turn, the hose circled back around and came out of the manhole, striking the employee on the left arm and causing three lacerations.
2017-04-19	Belgrade	Montana	H&H Earthworks, Inc.	Nonclassifiable	Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c.
An employee was fitting pipe together for a sewer line when the bucket of a trackhoe fell off and struck him. The employee was hospitalized.
2017-03-27	Wilmette	Illinois	F.J. Kerrigan Plumbing Co. Inc.	Hand(s), except finger(s)	Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire
An employee was jet rodding a sanitary sewer line when the jet rod hose ruptured and cut the employee's right hand.
2017-02-22	Lorain	Ohio	BAY MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL CORP.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee and a coworker were attempting to remove a sewer grate when the grate shifted and pinched the employee's thumb between it and the ground. The employee's thumb was partially amputated.
2017-01-20	Lakeside	California	BARONA CASINO & RESORT	Hand(s) and finger(s)	Fall through surface or existing opening
An employee was pumping a sewer truck into a below-ground holding tank when he fell into the tank, fracturing his hand and suffering a friction burn to his fingers.
2017-01-05	Chicago	Illinois	PAN-OCEANIC ENGINEERING CO., INC.	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Fall on same level, n.e.c.
An employee was handing down a sewer connection fitting to an employee below in a trench when a bolt on the fitting snagged on the employee's jacket, causing him to lose his balance and fall. He fell on the fitting, breaking two left ribs and bruising his left lung.
2016-10-14	New York	New York	John P Picone, Inc.	Foot (feet)	Struck by object or equipment
An employee just completed repairing the sewer line and was backfilling the trench. As the employee was removing the wheeler, it impacted the employee's left foot and fractured it.
2016-07-27	Oshkosh	Wisconsin	PTS CONTRACTORS, INC.	Toes(s), toenail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
On July 27, 2016, an employee was cutting a sewer's lateral pipe in a trench when a backhoe bucket pushed two pipes onto the employee's foot. His left foot was crushed between the pipes, requiring surgery for broken toe bones.
2016-06-06	Daytona Beach	Florida	Harty Tractor Service	Multiple face locations	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was using a chop saw to cut an 8-inch, old clay pipe to replace it with a PVC sewer pipe. The saw kicked back and the blade went through the employee's face shield, lacerating his skin from his right chin to his right ear. He was hospitalized.
2016-05-11	Monroe	Louisiana	Don M. Barron Contractor Inc	BODY SYSTEMS	Inhalation of harmful substance-single episode
Two employees were fixing a sewer system at the intersection. The first employee went down into the sewer to relieve a blockage. He finished and proceeded to climb the 9-foot ladder up the sewer hole. Just before he was able to reach the top of the hole, he collapsed and fell down the ladder. The second employee went down the ladder to rescue the first employee and put a hoist rope around him. While the first employee was being hoisted up the hole, the second employee succumbed to the gases that
2016-03-01	Loysburg	Pennsylvania	Guyer Brothers Incorporated	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by discharged object or substance
An employee was working with a sewer jetter to clean a sewer line and the jetter became stuck. The employee attempted to remove it from the sewer line when the high-pressure dirty water shot into his right index finger, causing an infection.
2016-02-16	Baileyville	Maine	Woodland Pulp LLC	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was adjusting the valve of a condensate line and attempting to "sewer" the hot water through a hose. The hose failed and hot water (200 degrees) caused second and third degree burns to the employee's arms, abdomen and legs (35% of the body).
2016-01-09	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	City Plumbing Heating and Drain Services	Leg(s)	Excavation or trenching cave-in
An employee was coring through a sewer while working in a 15-foot deep excavation. The employee's leg got trapped by debris outside of a trench shield, resulting in a lower limb injury.
2015-11-29	Delaware City	Delaware	Delaware City Refinery Company, LLC	Head and neck	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids
An operator was injured while preparing equipment for maintenance by flushing the equipment with condensate (warm water) and flushing it into an oily water sewer system. While performing the flush, it went to the hydrocarbon sewer where it flashed and ignited. The employee suffered second degree burns to the lower face and neck region and lesser burns to his right hand.
2015-11-10	Little Elm	Texas	CDM Constructors, Inc.	Wrist(s) and arm(s)	Fall on same level, n.e.c.
An employee entered a sewer/manhole during low flow to install a 36" pillow plug and block flow. During installation, the plug failed and ruptured. The employee was knocked down, fracturing his right arm and wrist. He required surgery.
2015-10-14	Brooklyn	New York	Verizon	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Fall on same level due to tripping on uneven surface
An employee was walking in the basement when he tripped over a sewer grate and fell resulting in five fractured ribs and shoulder tissue damage.
2015-10-02	Houston	Texas	Eureka Multifamily Group	Fingertip(s)	Entangled in other object or equipment
A maintenance employee was unclogging a sewer line when the auger cable twisted and wrapped around his left ring finger, amputating the fingertip.
2015-09-29	Harrisburg	Pennsylvania	GHD, Inc.	Ankle(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee was walking around the site, observing the installation of a new sewer line, when he slipped in the mud and fell to the ground. He sustained a left ankle injury.
2015-09-03	Bridgeton	Missouri	Concrete Strategies	Lower leg(s)	Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld, n.e.c.
An employee was standing in a sewer ditch while guiding a 10-foot steel pipe into position when the device holding the pipe slipped due to the plastic cover. The pipe struck the employee on his right tibia, causing a fracture.
2015-07-24	Commerce City	Colorado	Faris Machinery Company	Fingertip(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
The employee was working on a sewer truck and trying to pull a ladder down. The ladder was stuck and when he forced the ladder to move, his left ring and middle fingers were pinched between the ladder and a utility door. The left ring fingertip was amputated (no bone loss).
2015-06-23	West Palm Beach	Florida	Layne Christensen Company	Multiple body parts	Struck by discharged or flying object, n.e.c.
An employee was inside a sewer hole and was turning on a jetting tool when the pressure caused the hose to whip around and strike the employee's lip and elbow.
2015-05-18	Lake Forest	Illinois	GURTZ ELECTRIC CO.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment
An employee was attempting to remove a sewer cover using clamps with his right hand. He reached under the cap when there was enough room to fit his hand, and the sewer cap fell on his left middle finger. The finger was amputated between the nail bed and the first knuckle
2015-02-05	Metairie	Louisiana	Fleming Construction Company, LLC	Nonclassifiable	Other fall to lower level 16 to 20 feet
Employee was attempting to pull a ladder out of a manhole at a sewer lift station. The manhole hatch cover fell on the employee and knocked him down the hole. Employee fell approximately 20 feet to the ground below.