2 Construction Workers Injured After Partial Collapse of CMU Retaining Wall

via the Santa Barbara County Fire Department

via the Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Two construction workers in Santa Barbara, California, both in their 20’s, were injured during the installation of a CMU retaining wall when it partially collapsed on Monday.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reported via a Facebook post that one of the men was transported to the hospital with minor injuries and the second was treated and released on scene.  Both men were pulled out of the rubble by co-workers in the area.

It’s not known what caused the collapse, but vertical rebar is not visible in the picture below.

It’s interesting to note that the scaffold seems to be on the opposite side of the wall where the blocks fell.  Assuming that the men who were trapped were not on the scaffold, they would have been inside what should have been the limited access zone, where no employees should be permitted.  Once masonry walls reach 8 feet tall, which they do not appear to be in the picture, the walls should be braced to prevent overturn and collapse.

County inspectors and California OSHA have been notified of the accident and the cause of the collapse is under investigation.

On Monday August 21, ME-21 responded for a report of two victims trapped under a wall at the Rice Ranch develop...

Posted by Santa Barbara County Fire Department on Monday, August 21, 2017
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