Worker Seriously Injured After Being Buried in Dirt in Walker, Michigan

Walker, Mich. — A worker was seriously hurt and hospitalized after being buried in the dirt. The incident occurred on Maynard Avenue near Butterworth Street in Walker on Tuesday.

Emergency personnel uncovered the individual.

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has been notified and will commence an investigation into the incident, though the cause of the worker becoming buried in dirt remains unclear.

No further details have been provided.

Thoughts on work-related trench accidents

Situations like this can unfold swiftly, leaving the worker trapped beneath thousands of pounds of soil in minutes. Sadly, these accidents have become more common, with 41 workers losing their lives in 2022, an increase from 15 trench fatalities in 2021 (U.S. Department of Labor). What makes these tragedies even more devastating is that most are preventable with proper safety measures in place.

Employers have a duty to prioritize safety and ensure that they adequately train their workers on safety practices. In addition, measures such as sloping or benching trench walls, shoring them with supports, or shielding them with trench boxes can significantly reduce the risk of accidents. When employers fail to put these practices in place, and workers get seriously injured or killed, the company should be held accountable.

The injured worker deserves answers about whether all necessary safety precautions were in place and if their life was needlessly put at risk. An investigation by trained professionals can help clarify what happened and determine whether any negligence occurred.

At the end of the day, every worker deserves to feel secure while on the job, even in environments that carry inherent risks. Let us do more to protect our workers.

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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.

Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.