I train novice operators. To make them take the weight of dirt seriously, I have a bucket full of dirt which I get them to lift. Most people can lift it but it’s not light. Then I ask them to imagine maybe 2 or 3 of those buckets on their chest. Then I tell them that 1 cubic meter is equivalent to fifty of those buckets.
I often do work in trenches and confined space entry. Engulfment is a terrifying way to die. The
weight of dirt can compress your lungs so you can’t breath, even if your face is not buried
As a rule of thumb, if there's a specific word for it like that, it's probably something very, very bad. "Deglove" is another particularly nasty example of words-you-don't-want-to-experience.
I’ve heard of suffocation fatalities where they were only buried to the bottom of the ribcage, but there was enough compression to prevent the diaphragm from moving down.”
Engulfment is a race to see which horrible mode of death wins.
Asphyxiation (basically drowning in dirt or grain) still holds first place, then the order is: crushing (which has your example of impeded lung function but also the delightful competition to see if the arteries, heart or brain fails first); lack of oxygen; severe injury (typically a spinal injury).
Even more delightfully, being engulfed whilst wearing a safety harness is just another terrible way to die, as the harness suspends the person whilst the weight of the engulfment kills the person.
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u/DueExample52 5d ago
That’s a lot of pressure so even if they manage to avoid suffocation, he may have broken bones and other trauma.
Don’t fuck around deep vertical unsupported pits