RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
The Occupational Safety and Health Agency has started investigations into the death of WASA worker Kern Etienne, who died after being buried alive in a trench he was working in along the Rienzi Kirton Highway, San Fernando, on Sunday.
OSHA executive director Carolyn Sancho told Guardian Media yesterday that the authority is currently investigating the incident. She revealed that inspectors had already been assigned to the case.
Meanwhile, WASA CEO Kelvin Romain told Guardian Media that an internal investigation, separate from the OSHA probe, had been started as well.
Asked why proper shoring of the trench was not done, Romain said he preferred to refrain from commenting until the thorough investigation was completed.
“This incident is tragic and we lost one of our valued employees,” Romain lamented.
He revealed that he personally visited the Etienne family to offer his deepest condolences. Romain said WASA’s Human Resources Department has also started counselling for the employees who were at the site.
“An investigation was launched, OSHA was contacted and I will comment further once our comprehensive investigation is completed,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Public Services Association (PSA) president Leroy Baptiste also expressed sadness over Etienne’s death.
“As you expect, every organisation has a responsibility to ensure that work is done safely. Something obviously went wrong and we will be looking into the matter to ensure that all safety precautions would have been taken and if not, we will need to know what went wrong,” he said.
Baptiste said the PSA has always sought joint health and safety meetings with the authority.
“I will be looking forward to getting a report on this incident,” he said.
However, he said any project of the nature the crew was working should have shoring in the trench.
“This repairing of sewer or water mains is a core function of WASA. They are supposed to have clear procedures on how to treat with this. If they dig a trench, they are supposed to have shoring so that if someone enters the trench it is safe to do so. That is standard operating procedures,” Baptiste said.
Etienne’s twin brother Kerdelle Etienne also questioned why the trench was covered over after his brother was rushed to the hospital.
He said after the dirt started caving on top of Etienne, eight co-workers frantically clawed through the dirt to get him out. The backhoe was also used but by the time he was brought back up, he appeared to be dead.
An autopsy is scheduled to be done on his body this week.
Etienne was part of a WASA team that was doing emergency repairs to a sewer line which connects the San Fernando Licensing office to the WASA sewer main on Cipero Road. While standing in a 12-foot trench, the dirt caved, burying Etienne.
