Translate

An official website of the United States government.

**The .gov means it's official.** Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

U.S. Department of Labor

## Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Contact UsFAQA to Z IndexLanguages- اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ (Arabic)
- Sinugbuanong Binisayâ (Cebuano)
- 官话 (Chinese-Simplified)
- 廣東話 (Chinese-Traditional)
- English
- Français (French)
- Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- नेपाली (Nepali)
- Polski (Polish)
- Português (Portuguese (Brazilian))
- Русский (Russian)
- Af-Soomaali (Somali)
- Español (Spanish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Search**
              -  Menu 

                      -  OSHA                           -                            - OSHA
                          - About OSHA
                          - Find an OSHA Office
                          - State Plans
                          - Job Safety and Health Poster
                          - Careers
                          - Freedom of Information Act
                          -  Speaker Requests 
                      -  STANDARDS                           -                            - Standards
                          - Law and Regulations
                          - Federal Registers
                          - Open for Comment
                          - Regulatory Agenda
                          - Standard Interpretations
                          - Training Requirements by Standard 
                      -  ENFORCEMENT                           -                            - Enforcement
                          - OSHA Enforcement
                          - Annual Inspection Data 
                      -  TOPICS                           -                            - Topics
                          - For Employers
                          - Worker Rights
                          - Fall Prevention
                          - Hazard Communication
                          - Heat
                          - Personal Protective Equipment
                          - Suicide Prevention
                          - Trenching and Excavation
                          - Workers Memorial 
                        -                            - By Sector
                          - Agriculture
                          - Construction
                          - Federal Agencies
                          - Healthcare
                          - Maritime
                          - Oil and Gas
                          - Warehousing 
                        -                            - Key Topics
                          - Recordkeeping Requirements and Forms
                          - Safety and Health Programs
                          -  Support After a Loss 
                          - Whistleblower Protections 
                      -  HELP AND RESOURCES                           -                            - Help and Resources
                          - Data
                          - Establishment Search
                          - Fatality Reports
                          - File a Complaint
                          - Publications
                          - Safety and Health Topics Pages
                          - Videos 
                        -                            - Compliance Assistance
                          - Compliance Assistance Specialists
                          - Consultation Services
                          - Cooperative Programs
                          - Small Business Resources 
                        -                            - Training
                          - Training Requirements and Resources
                          - Outreach Training Program (10- and 30-hour Cards)
                          - Find a Trainer
                          - Replace a Card
                          - Avoid Card Fraud
                          - OSHA Training Institute Education Centers
                          - Find a Center
                          - Search for Classes
                          - Susan Harwood Training Grants 
                      -  NEWS                           -                            - NEWS
                          - Federal Registers
                          - Media Center
                          - News Releases
                          - QuickTakes Newsletter 
                      - Contact Us
                      - FAQ
                      - A to Z Index
                      - LANGUAGES- اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ (Arabic)
- Sinugbuanong Binisayâ (Cebuano)
- 官话 (Chinese-Simplified)
- 廣東話 (Chinese-Traditional)
- English
- Français (French)
- Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- नेपाली (Nepali)
- Polski (Polish)
- Português (Portuguese (Brazilian))
- Русский (Russian)
- Af-Soomaali (Somali)
- Español (Spanish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
 

### Inspection Detail

**Case Status: CLOSED**

#### **Inspection: 1508540.015 - Eastpointe, City Of**

**Inspection Information - Office: Michigan Safety Cnst**

 

**Inspection Nr**

**Report ID**

**Date Opened**

----

**Site Address**: 			   Eastpointe, City Of			   Gratiot Avenue And Hayes RoadEastpointe, MI 48021

**Mailing Address**: 			   23200 Gratiot Avenue, Eastpointe, MI 48021

**Union Status**: Union

**SIC**:

**NAICS**: 237310/ Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction

----

**Inspection Type**: Fat/Cat

**Scope**: Partial

**Advanced Notice**: N

**Ownership**: LocalGovt

**Safety/Health**: Safety

**Close Conference**: 05/14/2021

**Emphasis**:N:Trench, S:Construction

**Case Closed**: 12/20/2023

----

**Case Status: CLOSED**

#### **Investigation Summary**

**Investigation Nr**

**Event**

At 6:15 p.m. on December 30, 2020, Employee #1 and coworkers, employed by a city, were working in an excavation at a sewer/water treatment plant and repairing a broken underground water main.  Employee #1, the foreman, was directing the work, operating a backhoe, and working in the excavation.  The excavation measured approximately 14 feet long by 14 feet wide and was 8 feet deep.  The width at the bottom of the excavation was approximately 4 feet.  The pipe being repaired was a 12-inch water main, and the break was located approximately 1 to 2 feet from the excavation's north wall, which was near vertical and unshored.  The water main had been leaking for several hours, and the north wall consisted of a saturated mix of clay and sand.  According to later statements from coworkers, the foreman had approximately ten minutes of work left to complete the repair when the north wall broke off and fell on top of him, pinning him face down in the mud.  The pump in use to control the flow of water became clogged in the collapse, and the excavation quickly filled up with water.  Coworkers estimated that the foreman was submerged for approximately 10 minutes before emergency medical services arrived on scene. Employee #1, the foreman, was killed in the excavation cave-in.

**Keywords:**asphyxiated, blunt force trauma, buried, caught in, construction, excavation, injury illness prevention program, pinned, shoring, structural collapse, unguarded, unprotected, untrained, wall
Back to Top

                    -  OSHA 
                    -  Standards 
                    -  Enforcement 
                    -  Topics 
                    -  Media Center 
                    -  Contact Us 

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration200 Constitution Ave NW                                                                                    Washington, DC 20210                                          **1-800-321-OSHA1-800-321-6742www.osha.gov

Federal Government
                              - White House
                              - Benefits.gov
                              - Coronavirus Resources
                              - Disaster Recovery Assistance
                              - DisasterAssistance.gov
                              - USA.gov
                              - Notification of EEO Violations
                              - No Fear Act Data
                              - U.S. Office of Special Counsel

Occupational Safety & Health
                              - Frequently Asked Questions
                              - A - Z Index
                              - Freedom of Information Act - OSHA
                              - Read the OSHA Newsletter
                              - Subscribe to the OSHA Newsletter
                              - OSHA Publications
                              - Office of Inspector General

About The Site
                              - Freedom of Information Act
                              - Disclaimers
                              - Plug-Ins Used on DOL.gov
                              - Accessibility Statement

Connect With DOL

FacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeLinkedIn

Site MapImportant Website NoticesPrivacy & Security Statement

### **Thank You for Visiting Our Website**

#### You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.

Close