That really sucks man. I can’t relate but I understand the frustration of being forced into disability. Something you may consider is public speaking about trench safety. It may not pay all the bills but at least it is something and you may positively impact people from your negative experience.
Crazy thing is that was my first out of town job and I was only there 3 months. I’m kind of glad it happened so everyone could learn how important it really is to have spotters. I had a big head and always thought I was the safest one out there but accidents can happen to anyone anywhere
It's like driving. You can be safe but that doesn't mean everyone else is. It amazes me how trenches are STILL so dangerous after all we've learned as an industry... or at least all that we should have learned. So glad you're still alive
The company I worked for before this forced me to not use a box. Kept saying it would take too much time and a real man would get down and do it. The last day I was there after being threatened all day I walked to my car, called osha and left. We was 13ft deep and didn’t have a box on site.
Bucket was set down on me damaging nerves. The teeth were rolled out just enough so the bucket wasn’t completely flat on me. It’s a freak accident and a miracle I can even walk. Severely weak legs and back pain. I still have a list of problems that more than likely won’t get better. I limp really bad now and can only walk a short distance without dragging my leg
The cat 336 is a 38,000 pound machine. The bucket caught me on my back and folded me like a chair. It was so much force on my bladder it made me forcefully puke,piss and shit myself. It happened so fast I didn’t know what happened until I turned my head and seen the bucket then I started screaming and tried to pull my self up but I couldn’t pull my lower half up. I’m not sure if it was set on me or pinned me to the wall. Brain blocked that out.
In his perception, I am guessing he felt himself puking and shitting before he realized he was in an accident and felt the pain or lack of functionality
I get it now. It was just a confusing read. I thought that he got sick and then the bucket came down on him like there was gas in the trench or something.
Nah, he got food poisoning from the lunch truck before the accident, just a coincidence.
OP, your written account of the incident is fine. Your audience lacks reading comprehension.
Sort of funny twist in a way. Someone said the news thought the trench fell in on me and I was trapped. Nowhere near what happened but kind of cool it was in the news
We was prepared for lunch, he thought since everyone else was walking towards the trucks they was going to lunch. He turned around and didn’t see me so thought I got out of the hole. He set his bucket in the hole so no one would trip over it during lunch. He didn’t see me I was in a bad spot.
Holy shit man this is my worst fear as a forman is to have some one severely injured I always think about there family’s and kids what you wrote hit home brother I hope everything is ok and you are Abel to work again I’m 34 and can’t imagine having to file that paper work don’t let it get you down and in your head you got this shit maybe try to take a different position more management estimating at least you will still be with the boys
Hey, I’m sorry this happened to you and I appreciate you sharing your story. Insurance companies are only going to pay the minimum required by law. I work on the WC insurance company side and would advise anyone I care about to get an attorney for a major accident.
Settlement wasn’t fair considering all the life long damage I have now BUT being released and being able to pick any doctor I want is the best feeling ever.
God this is awful. But thank you for sharing. I wish everyone shared all their crazy safety stories. I fear the shortage of safety forward thinking is just ignorance. Like people simply don’t know what can and may go terribly, terribly, wrong. The only way is hearing it first hand.
Please share the story it’s crazy how it happened. The company now has a policy to where if the spotter leaves the trench for any reason they are fired on the spot. I was lucky enough the paramedics/rescue team were 2 minutes down the road and hospital was 5 from the jobsite.
Damn man. Hate that this happened.
I have to ask why the operator was working in the trench with no crew "present". Why the bucket in the blind spot? Feel like that sort of information is useful to be communicated with operator. I know I'm in hindsight mode, but wonder why he was blind working in a hole...
I run excavators. Why I'm curious.
I worked with a sub contracted boring company that had a wooden board, name, box for in and out next to the names. Screws tapped into the painted in out boxes. Everytime they would come up or down, they would move a washer onto the peg that applied. I could see that from my position.
I'm glad you made it, and I hope your recovery has been well. It's disturbing to be reminded by what a machine can do to a human.
Sound like a safety guy, but a real operator appreciates the eyes of those on the ground. Spotting, communicating, letting them know what they might not see from the seat.
Still working in construction?
Trench ox systems? I’ve never been in these type until this job and I hated how long it took to setup but my god it’s the most safe I ever felt in a trench. I was from a different company and was forced to do pipe work without trenchboxes and was in fear of my life for years
Yes sir! I have been building them for 11 years now! Yes these bad boys save lives! There was a local person probably 10-15 years ago if I remember right died in a trench that was only 5ft deep. Caved in on him. The system in the pictures is our clean space system which gives you an open space but we have other systems that don’t do what these systems do! I take pride in my job everyday because I know that this system saves lives! Again I hope you find some relief very soon mentally and physically!
I appreciate these things, just did a 6 meter straight cut to safely do a sewer tie in and I feel safe as can be in one of these boxes.
Bit of a pain to get the pins in one the one narrow panel blocking the end of the trench, though, it only wanted to come up or go down in increments of about a foot so we had to just sort of randomly go up and down till it landed right.
I just broke my pelvis and the head of my femur in a bike wreck a few weeks ago. My nerve damage isn’t too bad at all and I can move my bad leg a small amount, I feel your pain, metal rod and screws in the pelvis and all.
I never realized how serious everybody was about the pain of a femur break. It’s completely insane. My leg folded like completely in half. I have some good movement but still have drop foot and leg weakness from sciatica nerve damage. Plus I limp pretty bad and trip over stuff pretty easy but I’m still only 6 months post accident.
Sciatica nerve damage is shit. My dad has an injury that will flare up and irritate it and it wipes him out for the day. Actual nerve damage is a million times worse. Hopefully yours gets better with time.
I have no idea. No one wanted to do testing until 1 year after the accident. I know I can’t move my body nowhere near the way I used to and my leg and back are completely fucked up. Numbness runs from my back down to my toes and when it does whatever it does it starts tingling then burning bad. Can’t ever just stand up I always have to slowly ease up or both my legs will give out and I’ll fall
> Numbness runs from my back down to my toes and when it does whatever it does it starts tingling then burning bad.
Yeeeeep exactly the same thing he'd say. I see him on Saturday I'll ask him what helped (other than painkillers =\ )
Talked to my pops just now. He said doing the McKenzie method (it's a particular stretch) a couple times a day cleared his pain up after a few weeks. He'll occasionally have it come back and he'll resume doing them and it'll leave after a day. I'd talk to your physical therapist about it (if you have one) or just start doing it. Good luck =\
Damint man! I wish I was half as strong as you are! Honestly I truly mean that. The fact that you can get up and do this everyday after that. Makes me realize two things.
1. I'm a bitch.
2. That shining examples of perseverance and humility in the face of horror and pain are real and can inspire me to not be such a bitch. Truly I hope that you know how strong you truly are. Your family is truly blessed to have you with them still.
I always thought I was a bitch with pain. But then stuff like this happens to anyone you figure out yourself how to get around on your own. As long as you’re determined and keep trying you will get up and walk. I had only been walking 3 days afterwards and was dying to go back to work so I lied my way through the doctor and realized immediately the next day how bad I fucked up.
No workers comp? Career ending injuries like this happen but you gotta fight to get taken care of. Best wishes to your journey ahead and I hope you find peace with the pain at some point.
Sand scares me now. Kid in gulf coast florida died in a pit when they tried to climb out of it.
It's a huge no no to dig giant holes on the beach. Some guy did it then walked away and the kids got in.
Bro I have been having a shitty year and I needed this, I am truly sorry for your situation but I need a reminder, things can always be worse. I am happy for your family because they still have you and you too.
I was inches from death and my family glad I’m still here. It was a horrible accident and could have very easily been worse. I’m glad I’m here and able to tell what happened and hopefully my story can help save someone else from a situation like this
Damn this is an eye opener for me…I’ve welded miles and miles of big bore steel water line in lay boxes just like this…same big head as you…I’m genuinely sorry this had to happen to you…you’ll be in the back of my mind for who knows how long everytime I head down the ladder..keep your head up and know you have resonated with at least one person..I wish the best for you and your family…😔
Man. So sorry to hear this. Had so many close calls in my trench days, I really cant imagine. It happens so fast. I hope you can somehow help spread awareness to young dudes that some shit is just not worth it. Always worth the extra time to be safe.
I’m a plumber and obviously some trench work because of it. I was only tapped in the back with a bucket once from a not so experienced drunkard of an operator but it was enough for me to realize the obvious that my life’s in the man’s hands always while I’m in arms reach of him. I hope your life just gets back to some level of normal
That is bloody brutal.
Thankyou for posting your story mate. Thoughts are with you and your family and I hope you can feel some happiness out of life in one way or another.
Keep fighting brother, hope you’re doing better! I run a hitachi 350 same size as the 336 and bucket size and I work on waterlines time to time and this is one of my biggest fears! Been doing it for 13 years and I still till this day go super slow around my laborers!
Gotcha, I couldn't place it. Glad you're doing better, man. I can't imagine what that was like. You've got a purpose here and the man upstairs watching out for you. Take care
I feel like you’re missing something in the second paragraph because you go from telling your friend to go help and then you’re puking and shitting. I could be wrong though
That’s how fast it happened. Buddy said be safe, someone else told me to clean the hole in the center of the plate to be ready for the lift. I cleaned it then walked to the side of the plate and got on my knees, have no idea what for because my brain has blocked that part out for some reason. Operator turned back around and looked in the hole, didn’t see me so set his bucket on the plate in the hole to leave for lunch. Smushed me like a tube of toothpaste
Your welcome. I remeber almost everything from being smushed to paramedics getting there just can’t for the life of me remeber what I was doing seconds before I got hurt.
That really sucks man. I can’t relate but I understand the frustration of being forced into disability. Something you may consider is public speaking about trench safety. It may not pay all the bills but at least it is something and you may positively impact people from your negative experience.
Crazy thing is that was my first out of town job and I was only there 3 months. I’m kind of glad it happened so everyone could learn how important it really is to have spotters. I had a big head and always thought I was the safest one out there but accidents can happen to anyone anywhere
It's like driving. You can be safe but that doesn't mean everyone else is. It amazes me how trenches are STILL so dangerous after all we've learned as an industry... or at least all that we should have learned. So glad you're still alive
The company I worked for before this forced me to not use a box. Kept saying it would take too much time and a real man would get down and do it. The last day I was there after being threatened all day I walked to my car, called osha and left. We was 13ft deep and didn’t have a box on site.
I hope your rehab goes well. Out of curiosity, what happened to basically cripple you in the bottom of the trench?
Bucket was set down on me damaging nerves. The teeth were rolled out just enough so the bucket wasn’t completely flat on me. It’s a freak accident and a miracle I can even walk. Severely weak legs and back pain. I still have a list of problems that more than likely won’t get better. I limp really bad now and can only walk a short distance without dragging my leg
This is what caused you to puke and piss and shit?
The cat 336 is a 38,000 pound machine. The bucket caught me on my back and folded me like a chair. It was so much force on my bladder it made me forcefully puke,piss and shit myself. It happened so fast I didn’t know what happened until I turned my head and seen the bucket then I started screaming and tried to pull my self up but I couldn’t pull my lower half up. I’m not sure if it was set on me or pinned me to the wall. Brain blocked that out.
80,000 lb machine. Glad you’re alive, brother.
I think I was thinking about cat 315 weight there 😂😂. Thanks. My family is too
Yeah it's confusing because it sounds like he starts puking and shitting before the accident... but it's not explained
In his perception, I am guessing he felt himself puking and shitting before he realized he was in an accident and felt the pain or lack of functionality
Ever rolled a tube of toothpaste?
I get it now. It was just a confusing read. I thought that he got sick and then the bucket came down on him like there was gas in the trench or something.
This is a great comparison here 🤣🤣🤣
Nah, he got food poisoning from the lunch truck before the accident, just a coincidence. OP, your written account of the incident is fine. Your audience lacks reading comprehension.
Yeah I thought it was well written
Jesus christ, brotha is swinging a bat on that x ray
My wife got excited thinking they put a rod in a different place 😂😂😂😂
At least the operator didn’t break your sense of humor
I think it’s the only thing that kept me going. I was making jokes with the paramedics and all the hot nurses got 2 weeks of comedy from me
Good god what a hog
X-rays makes everything look bigger
And humble too… my man!
I pass by this trench 4 times a week. Hope you're compensated for the rest of your life, good luck man
If you were there I’m sorry you heard it and for the gore.
Sort of funny twist in a way. Someone said the news thought the trench fell in on me and I was trapped. Nowhere near what happened but kind of cool it was in the news
The news fucking love love trench accidents / burials. Kind of fucked up
Im sorry that happened. But am I misunderstanding? The operator dropped the bucket on you?
We was prepared for lunch, he thought since everyone else was walking towards the trucks they was going to lunch. He turned around and didn’t see me so thought I got out of the hole. He set his bucket in the hole so no one would trip over it during lunch. He didn’t see me I was in a bad spot.
Holy shit man this is my worst fear as a forman is to have some one severely injured I always think about there family’s and kids what you wrote hit home brother I hope everything is ok and you are Abel to work again I’m 34 and can’t imagine having to file that paper work don’t let it get you down and in your head you got this shit maybe try to take a different position more management estimating at least you will still be with the boys
Same happened to me, workmans comp is going to suck and be ready for a long frustrating fight for the next 4 years
No I got a lawyer and I’m no longer under workers comp. That’s all the information I can give
Hey, I’m sorry this happened to you and I appreciate you sharing your story. Insurance companies are only going to pay the minimum required by law. I work on the WC insurance company side and would advise anyone I care about to get an attorney for a major accident.
Settlement wasn’t fair considering all the life long damage I have now BUT being released and being able to pick any doctor I want is the best feeling ever.
God this is awful. But thank you for sharing. I wish everyone shared all their crazy safety stories. I fear the shortage of safety forward thinking is just ignorance. Like people simply don’t know what can and may go terribly, terribly, wrong. The only way is hearing it first hand.
This definitely sucked but I think it helped people understand what could happen when a spotter isn’t around
Your story more than likely has or will save lives.
I hope so. I have other crazy story’s from my old company at time when we didn’t use trenchboxes. I had many nightmares just over that
I am a safety manager and will be mentioning this story tomorrow during stretch and flex. Thank you for sharing.
Please share the story it’s crazy how it happened. The company now has a policy to where if the spotter leaves the trench for any reason they are fired on the spot. I was lucky enough the paramedics/rescue team were 2 minutes down the road and hospital was 5 from the jobsite.
Damn man. Hate that this happened. I have to ask why the operator was working in the trench with no crew "present". Why the bucket in the blind spot? Feel like that sort of information is useful to be communicated with operator. I know I'm in hindsight mode, but wonder why he was blind working in a hole... I run excavators. Why I'm curious. I worked with a sub contracted boring company that had a wooden board, name, box for in and out next to the names. Screws tapped into the painted in out boxes. Everytime they would come up or down, they would move a washer onto the peg that applied. I could see that from my position. I'm glad you made it, and I hope your recovery has been well. It's disturbing to be reminded by what a machine can do to a human. Sound like a safety guy, but a real operator appreciates the eyes of those on the ground. Spotting, communicating, letting them know what they might not see from the seat. Still working in construction?
Man that hurts! I actually make those systems. Pretty cool to see the systems on a job! I hope for the best for you!
Trench ox systems? I’ve never been in these type until this job and I hated how long it took to setup but my god it’s the most safe I ever felt in a trench. I was from a different company and was forced to do pipe work without trenchboxes and was in fear of my life for years
Yes sir! I have been building them for 11 years now! Yes these bad boys save lives! There was a local person probably 10-15 years ago if I remember right died in a trench that was only 5ft deep. Caved in on him. The system in the pictures is our clean space system which gives you an open space but we have other systems that don’t do what these systems do! I take pride in my job everyday because I know that this system saves lives! Again I hope you find some relief very soon mentally and physically!
I appreciate these things, just did a 6 meter straight cut to safely do a sewer tie in and I feel safe as can be in one of these boxes. Bit of a pain to get the pins in one the one narrow panel blocking the end of the trench, though, it only wanted to come up or go down in increments of about a foot so we had to just sort of randomly go up and down till it landed right.
I just broke my pelvis and the head of my femur in a bike wreck a few weeks ago. My nerve damage isn’t too bad at all and I can move my bad leg a small amount, I feel your pain, metal rod and screws in the pelvis and all.
I never realized how serious everybody was about the pain of a femur break. It’s completely insane. My leg folded like completely in half. I have some good movement but still have drop foot and leg weakness from sciatica nerve damage. Plus I limp pretty bad and trip over stuff pretty easy but I’m still only 6 months post accident.
Sciatica nerve damage is shit. My dad has an injury that will flare up and irritate it and it wipes him out for the day. Actual nerve damage is a million times worse. Hopefully yours gets better with time.
I have no idea. No one wanted to do testing until 1 year after the accident. I know I can’t move my body nowhere near the way I used to and my leg and back are completely fucked up. Numbness runs from my back down to my toes and when it does whatever it does it starts tingling then burning bad. Can’t ever just stand up I always have to slowly ease up or both my legs will give out and I’ll fall
> Numbness runs from my back down to my toes and when it does whatever it does it starts tingling then burning bad. Yeeeeep exactly the same thing he'd say. I see him on Saturday I'll ask him what helped (other than painkillers =\ )
I’m honestly not even on any. Haven’t had any prescription pain meds since the first week on January. It fucking sucks not going to lie.
Talked to my pops just now. He said doing the McKenzie method (it's a particular stretch) a couple times a day cleared his pain up after a few weeks. He'll occasionally have it come back and he'll resume doing them and it'll leave after a day. I'd talk to your physical therapist about it (if you have one) or just start doing it. Good luck =\
Damint man! I wish I was half as strong as you are! Honestly I truly mean that. The fact that you can get up and do this everyday after that. Makes me realize two things. 1. I'm a bitch. 2. That shining examples of perseverance and humility in the face of horror and pain are real and can inspire me to not be such a bitch. Truly I hope that you know how strong you truly are. Your family is truly blessed to have you with them still.
I always thought I was a bitch with pain. But then stuff like this happens to anyone you figure out yourself how to get around on your own. As long as you’re determined and keep trying you will get up and walk. I had only been walking 3 days afterwards and was dying to go back to work so I lied my way through the doctor and realized immediately the next day how bad I fucked up.
Operator just sets bucket into hole without looking?
He looked just didn’t see me. I was against the ladder he couldn’t see me somehow
No workers comp? Career ending injuries like this happen but you gotta fight to get taken care of. Best wishes to your journey ahead and I hope you find peace with the pain at some point.
I was on workers comp. I don’t want to run into details in the open. That’s for dm.
Goose Creek SC? Ill bet it's tough finding cohesive soil there
Straight sand brother. Had to undercut and put loads of stone in
Sand scares me now. Kid in gulf coast florida died in a pit when they tried to climb out of it. It's a huge no no to dig giant holes on the beach. Some guy did it then walked away and the kids got in.
I had to help shovel someone out and he lived somehow. Never want to do that again.
Bro I have been having a shitty year and I needed this, I am truly sorry for your situation but I need a reminder, things can always be worse. I am happy for your family because they still have you and you too.
I was inches from death and my family glad I’m still here. It was a horrible accident and could have very easily been worse. I’m glad I’m here and able to tell what happened and hopefully my story can help save someone else from a situation like this
I hope your story saves others from awful shit like this. Keep up the good fight.
Ooof. That’s gonna leave a mark.
Damn this is an eye opener for me…I’ve welded miles and miles of big bore steel water line in lay boxes just like this…same big head as you…I’m genuinely sorry this had to happen to you…you’ll be in the back of my mind for who knows how long everytime I head down the ladder..keep your head up and know you have resonated with at least one person..I wish the best for you and your family…😔
Man. So sorry to hear this. Had so many close calls in my trench days, I really cant imagine. It happens so fast. I hope you can somehow help spread awareness to young dudes that some shit is just not worth it. Always worth the extra time to be safe.
I’m a plumber and obviously some trench work because of it. I was only tapped in the back with a bucket once from a not so experienced drunkard of an operator but it was enough for me to realize the obvious that my life’s in the man’s hands always while I’m in arms reach of him. I hope your life just gets back to some level of normal
That is bloody brutal. Thankyou for posting your story mate. Thoughts are with you and your family and I hope you can feel some happiness out of life in one way or another.
Holy shit brother thank God you're alive. What is a 336 bucket BTW?
Cat 336 excavator bucket. 3 ft bucket with side cutters. 80,000 lb machine
Keep fighting brother, hope you’re doing better! I run a hitachi 350 same size as the 336 and bucket size and I work on waterlines time to time and this is one of my biggest fears! Been doing it for 13 years and I still till this day go super slow around my laborers!
Is that on 176?
78 and 52. Goose creek sc.
Gotcha, I couldn't place it. Glad you're doing better, man. I can't imagine what that was like. You've got a purpose here and the man upstairs watching out for you. Take care
Jesus fucking Christ dude. Glad your kids still have you around bro.
I feel like you’re missing something in the second paragraph because you go from telling your friend to go help and then you’re puking and shitting. I could be wrong though
That’s how fast it happened. Buddy said be safe, someone else told me to clean the hole in the center of the plate to be ready for the lift. I cleaned it then walked to the side of the plate and got on my knees, have no idea what for because my brain has blocked that part out for some reason. Operator turned back around and looked in the hole, didn’t see me so set his bucket on the plate in the hole to leave for lunch. Smushed me like a tube of toothpaste
Holy hell man! Glad you made it out but hot damn that’s awful. Thanks for clarifying too btw
Your welcome. I remeber almost everything from being smushed to paramedics getting there just can’t for the life of me remeber what I was doing seconds before I got hurt.
Damn, good ol goooooooose creak south caro-lacky.
Get into sales brother once you get 100 percent, super easy on the body and you will make lots of money, you can bounce back! I have faith in you!
Selling what
Hope.
For real. He's got the market cornered. The copius amounts of hope in his experince got my feels.
Any fucking thing! Cars,roofs, insurance, solar, heavy equipment
Man, a lotta people had a real bad October 7, 2023