The collapse occurred approximately 61m inside the tunnel under construction, trapping two employees. Twyla Capurro, a 35-year-old geologist, sustained fatal injuries, while a second worker was seriously injured.<\/p>\n
California\u2019s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal\/OSHA) found that both companies failed to provide adequate ground support to protect workers inside the tunnel.<\/p>\n
Provost & Pritchard Engineering Group, which designed the 3.6km irrigation diversion tunnel, faces US$117,500 in proposed penalties.<\/p>\n
The citations cover one serious training violation, one serious accident-related ground control violation and one wilful-serious accident-related tunnel support violation. The company has appealed the decision.<\/p>\n
Drill Tech Drilling & Shoring, the contractor constructing the tunnel for the South San Joaquin Irrigation District, faces US$95,000 in proposed penalties.<\/p>\n
Its citations cover one serious accident-related ground control violation and one wilful-serious accident-related tunnel support violation.<\/p>\n
The combined proposed penalties amount to US$212,500. The penalties remain proposed, and Provost & Pritchard has appealed its citations.<\/p>\n
According to Cal\/OSHA, both companies allowed work to continue without removing or adequately supporting identified dangerous ground. They also failed to ensure the tunnel section where employees were working was securely supported, resulting in the collapse.<\/p>\n
Cal\/OSHA chief Debra Lee said tunnel collapses causing fatalities and serious injuries were preventable, emphasising employers\u2019 responsibility to provide adequate support and protective measures against sudden ground failure.<\/p>\n
The agency\u2019s Bureau of Investigations is conducting a separate investigation into the incident.<\/p>\n
The Canyon Tunnel is being constructed to bypass a risk-prone section of the joint supply canal operated by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District and Oakdale Irrigation District.<\/p>\n
The 3.6km irrigation diversion tunnel is intended to provide a safer working environment for district personnel and improve the reliability of the water supply.<\/p>\n
The project is currently scheduled for completion in 2028.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The collapse occurred approximately 61m inside the tunnel under construction, trapping two employees. Twyla Capurro, a 35-year-old geologist, sustained fatal injuries, while a second worker was seriously injured. California\u2019s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal\/OSHA) found that both companies failed to provide adequate ground support to protect workers inside the tunnel. Provost & Pritchard Faces US$117,500 in Proposed Penalties Provost & Pritchard Engineering Group, which designed the 3.6km irrigation diversion tunnel, faces US$117,500 in proposed penalties. The citations cover one serious training violation, one serious accident-related ground control violation and one wilful-serious accident-related tunnel support violation. The company has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[5766,1488,5764,5768,5771,5772,5767,5769,4956,5737,5765,5770],"class_list":["post-20777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-cal-osha","tag-california","tag-canyon-tunnel","tag-drill-tech-drilling-shoring","tag-ground-support","tag-irrigation-tunnel","tag-provost-pritchard","tag-south-san-joaquin-irrigation-district","tag-tunnel-collapse","tag-tunnel-construction","tag-tunnel-safety","tag-workplace-safety","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\n