A worker from Nevada died when equipment malfunctioned while he was operating a winch at the Upper Narrows Pipeline Replacement Project tunneling site in Victorville, California, on June 24.
The incident happened at the Kemper-Campbell Ranch work site, where crews had completed a connecting tunnel to one drilled from Seventh and C streets, according to the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority.
The authority said workers were removing a large piece of a micro-tunneling machine from the tunnel when a winch came loose, killing the employee who was operating it. It caused the winch to travel toward the tunnel entrance with the man who was killed on it.
The $38 million project is replacing the area’s wastewater mainline damaged by flooding in December 2010.
Sky-Vac II is Undergoing Testing
The manufacturers at Integrated Chassis Solutions are at it again. The company posted to its Facebook page June 24 that it is testing the Sky-Vac II.
Sky-Vac II will have a boom just like original Sky-Vac that reaches 120 feet. The first model required a hydroexcavator attached, while the second model has the blower and other components attached and can dig with water or air.
The 20-yard vacuum debris tank is pulled behind the unit and can be changed out on site with other containers.
Voting Continues for Vermeer’s Ultimate Crew Contest
Voting is continuing through the end of August for Vermeer’s Ultimate Crew contest where eight crews from across North America are trying for a chance to win a trip to the International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) 2015 where they will compete for the grand prize package.
The grand prize package includes the use of a Vermeer D24x40 Series II Navigator horizontal directional drill for 12 months.
The eight semifinalists are B&T Drainage (Marshall, Illinois), Roseau Electric Cooperative (Roseau, Minnesota), Ulmer Contracting (Vancouver, British Columbia), Tru Tek Drilling (Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania), Martin Hildreth Company (Rockwell City, Iowa), Triad Western Constructors (Cortez, Colorado), M3 Contracting (Monticello, Minnesota) and Precision Underground (Bismarck, North Dakota).
Voting and more information on the semifinals can be found at NavigatorNation.com. Voting ends Aug. 31.
