Worker trapped in trench highlights importance of NEBOSH certificate

Category: NEBOSH National General Certificate
Wednesday 10th of March 2010

A construction company has been fined after one of its workers was hurt when a trench collapsed on them.

Students on NEBOSH certificates may be surprised to hear that the incident happened when another employee, who had not been properly trained, had been using an excavator to dig the holes.

John Taylor, from Thornaby, was employed at a site at Allanbrae in County Durham laying pipes in a trench that had been made by the excavator.

While inside the trench the wall collapsed onto him, leaving Mr Taylor buried up to his waist for over two hours.

Vickers Construction, based in Eaglescliffe, was fined £5,000 plus costs by Darlington Magistrates' Court following the incident, which left the 44-year-old worker with severe bruising.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Dr Dave Shallow commented: "The employee using the excavator should have been properly trained and industry guidance, which recommends providing shoring or trench boxes, should have been followed."

According to the industry body, although the number of accidents recorded has been falling each year, construction still has the highest rate of major injury across the employment sectors.

Posted by Lindsey French

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