WHAT’S AT STAKE Every month in the United States, an average of two workers die after being caught in collapsing trenches. In Canada, about 10 workers die in trench collapse incidents each year. WHAT’S THE DANGER The greatest risk to workers involves being caught in a cave-in. Even if the worker survives the initial collapse, one cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car and the pressure on the chest can make it impossible for a worker to breathe even if his or her head is above the level of the collapsed soil. Also, a worker caught in a trench collapse […]