The worker who was killed in a trench collapse in Rosenberg has been identified as 32-year-old Rigoberto Ochoa Gonzalez of Houston. The accident occurred on Wednesday, February 12, around 12:23 p.m.

The worksite where the trench collapsed was located on Farm-to-Market Road 2218 between Bryan Road and Danziger Road.

According to reports, there were three workers who were working in the 8-foot-deep trench laying lines when the accident happened. Gonzalez ended up getting trapped.

Around 30 first responders showed up to the scene to try and help in the rescue of Gonzalez. The Fort Bend County Technical Response Team was even called to the scene for their expertise.

Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Rosenberg police have contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to have a formal investigation started on the accident.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will do an investigation to see if there are safety factors that the company that Gonzalez worked for is negligent. There could be fines assessed if they are found at fault for serious code violations.

It is believed that the trench lacked a trench box, which is a required safety measure to help prevent accidents like this from happening.

A trench box, which is also called a trench shield, is a steel or aluminum structure that is used to help in the prevention of cave-ins. The box is usually constructed with sidewalls that are held apart by spreaders. There are various safety ratings that can be applied to various depths.

The cause of the trench’s collapse and the factors that may have led up to it are under investigation at this time.

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