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Frequency rate

Severity rate

7.0

6, 181

Circumstances under which the fatal accidents occurred are listed below:

(1) A truck overturning.

(2) A steel bin falling on a welder.

(3) A carpenter falling from a high form.

A. Contracts

37. Major Construction Contracts. The construction of Trenton Dam and relocation of railroad and highway was accomplished by several major construction contracts. When it became apparent that relocation of the railroad and highway would require several months of negotiations and design work, it was considered advisable to issue two sets of specifications for construction of Trenton Dam, one for construction of that portion not traversed by either the railroad or highway and the other for completion of the work. The railroad and highway relocation work was performed by several contracts.

(a) Foundation Work. -- The foundation work for Trenton Dam was performed under specifications No. 2689. Bids submitted in response to advertising for these specifications were opened June 29, 1949, at Trenton, Nebr. Twelve bids were received. The low bid of $1, 626, 250.00, submitted by Marshall, Haas and Royce, San Mateo, Calif., was accepted and contract No. I2r-18601 was awarded July 15, 1949. Notice to proceed was acknowledged by the contractor on August 22, 1949, which established the completion date as July 18, 1950. The work was completed on July 18, 1950, and the final contract amount was $1, 672, 397. 64.

(b) Completion Work. -- Trenton Dam was completed under specifications No. 3047. Bids submitted in response to advertising for these specifications were opened June 23, 1950, at Trenton, Nebr. Twelve bids were received. The low bid of $4, 726, 557. 10, submitted by A. S. Vinnell Co., United Concrete Pipe Corp. and R. A. Bell, Alhambra, Calif., a joint venture, was accepted and contract No. I2r-19084 was awarded on June 30, 1950. The notice to proceed was acknowledged on August 7, 1950. pletion date was established as August 11, 1953.

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Because of a delay in relocating the railroad, the contractor incurred additional costs. An amendatory agreement of April 1, 1952, provided for a payment of $490,000 to the contractor for rescheduling his work and for additional costs incurred because of the presence of the railroad through the dam site for about 10 months after the scheduled date for removal. Two extra work orders and four orders for changes were issued during the life of the contract. These involved, chiefly, rediversion of the river, stockpiling of a portion of riprap rock and rock blanket material, design changes, and cleaning and straightening about 500,000 pounds of partially bent and painted reinforcement bars. By findings of fact dated August 28, 1953, and supplemental findings of fact dated January 13, 1954, the completion date of the contract was extended to November 30, 1953, because of a delay in delivery of spillway radial gates. The contractor completed the work on November 30, 1953, at a final contract cost of $5, 570, 631.71.

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(c) Railroad Earthwork, etc. Earthwork and structures, except bridge superstructures, for relocation of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad were constructed under specifications No. 3112. Bids submitted in response to advertising for these specifications were opened August 17, 1950 at Trenton, Nebr. Fifteen bids were received. Because of allegations of errors, misquoted freight rates, and other considerations, all bids were rejected and the work was readvertised.

Bids submitted in response to the readvertised specifications No. 3112 were opened September 1, 1950. Eight bids were received. The low bid of $2, 195, 467. 50, submitted by Perry McGlone Construction Co., Kansas City, Mo., was accepted and contract No. I2r-19157 was awarded on September 5, 1950. The notice to proceed was

acknowledged on September 12, 1950, and completion dates for various subdivisions of the contract established. One extra work order and two orders for changes involving minor changes, construction procedures, and extensions in completion time were issued during the life of the contract.

A findings of fact dated December 18, 1951, fixed dates for completion of various subdivisions of the contract. The final established dates for completion of all subdivisions of schedules No. 1 and 2 were September 30, 1951, and March 24, 1952, respectively. Schedule No. 1 was completed September 30, 1951, and schedule No. 2 was completed January 25, 1952.

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(d) Superstructure for Bridges. - Superstructures for bridges for relocation of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad were constructed under specifications No. 3113. Bids submitted in response to advertising for these specifications were opened August 16, 1950, at Trenton, Nebr. Four bids were received. The low bid of $541,305.00, submitted by the American Bridge Co., Denver, Colo., was accepted and contract No. I2r-19183 was awarded September 5, 1950. Notice to proceed was acknowledged by the contractor on September 23, 1950, and the completion date was established as December 7, 1951. Two orders for changes and one extra work order involving changes in design and construction were issued during the life of the contract. By a findings of fact dated February 2, 1953, the completion date was extended to November 14, 1952. The work was completed and accepted October 27, 1952.

(e) Tracklaying and Railroad Facilities. --Contract No. 181r-1322 was awarded to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Co. on August 1, 1950, for ballasting, laying of rails, installation of signal, telephone and telegraph systems, and construction of a new depot at Trenton, Nebr., at a cost not to exceed $2, 500,000. The work was started on November 21, 1951, and essentially completed on December 13, 1952. A supplemental contract which provided for a payment of $225, 000 by the railroad company to the Government for salvage value of the abandoned line was awarded at a later date.

(f) Highway Relocation. -- Contract No. 181r-1272 was awarded on June 16, 1950, to the State of Nebraska for relocation of U. S. Highway No. 34 around Trenton Dam and Swanson Reservoir (now Swanson Lake) at a cost not to exceed $1,056,000. The sum agreed represents the cost for rerouting and replacing in kind the existing highway. Work on the new highway started September 18, 1950, and completed in December 1951. Traffic was routed over the relocated highway January 2, 1952.

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39. Housing. A housing project for Bureau personnel was located close to the east edge of Trenton, Nebr., in order that municipal water, sewer, and electrical facilities could be utilized. The project area consisted of about 7 acres of land.

(a) Houses. -- Houses for the housing project, consisting of twenty 2-bedroom and ten 3-bedroom houses, were constructed under specifications No. VII-18. Bids submitted in response to advertising for these specifications were opened June 17, 1947. Six bids were received. The low bid of $278, 640, submitted by Metcalf Construction Co., Omaha, Nebr., was accepted and contract No. 181r-1012 was awarded. The notice to proceed was acknowledged September 15, 1948. Two orders for changes, involving changes in design and materials, were issued during the life of the contract. A findings of fact extended the completion date for several subdivisions of the contract. The work was completed February 25, 1949.

(b) Pipe for Water and Sewer Facilities.-- Pipe for water and sewer facilities for the housing project were furnished and installed under contract by Jansen and Ells Construction Co., Beatrice, Nebr., who submitted the low bid of $24, 807. The work involved furnishing and installing about 8,000 feet of sewer pipe, 3,000 feet of water pipe, and miscellaneous fittings. The notice to proceed was acknowledged on August 19, 1948. A completion date of November 2, 1948, was established and the work was completed on October 30, 1948.

40. Caretaker's Facilities. - Caretaker's facilities, including a residence, garage and shop building, water and gas supply, and a sewer system, were constructed under specifications No. VII-111. Bids received in response to advertising for these specifications were opened March 16, 1950, at Trenton, Nebr. Four bids were received. The low bid of $25,766.50, submitted by Northwest Realty Co., Alliance, Nebr., was accepted and a contract awarded. The residence, garage, and shop building are located on the left abutment approximately 500 feet from the dam.

41. Reservoir Clearing. The reservoir clearing work was accomplished under specifications No. 701C-222. Bids submitted in response to advertising for these specifications were opened November 27, 1951, at Trenton, Nebr. Thirteen bids were received. The low bid of $63,750, submitted by Asbell Brothers Construction Co., Riverton, Wyo., was accepted and a contract awarded. Notice to proceed was acknowledged on December 31, 1951, and a completion date of June 28, 1952, was established. The work was completed on May 8, 1952.

CHAPTER V--CONSTRUCTION

42. River Diversion. Several stages of diversion were used during construction of Trenton Dam. To meet diversion requirements, the river was successively confined in its channel; diverted through an artificial channel; diverted through another artificial channel near the old location of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad; and diverted through the spillway.

Initially, the river was confined to its natural channel at about axis station 62+00. As construction work progressed, including excavation and backfilling of the cutoff trench and construction of the dikes, an artificial channel was excavated for diversion that crossed the dam axis between approximate stations 47 and 52. Because of heavy rains in 1951 and a steel strike in June and July of 1952, it became apparent that the embankment construction program would extend into 1953. In order to provide flood protection during the usual high-water months of May and June of 1953, it was necessary to revise the construction program, which required moving the river to a new diversion channel. In September 1952, the river was diverted through a channel near the original Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad tracks which crossed the dam axis in the vicinity of station 79+00. Placement of embankment in the old diversion section was immediately started. The railroad was relocated in mid-December 1952. Early in May 1953, the river was diverted through the spillway and, by the end of the month, embankment work had sufficiently progressed to afford ample flood protection for the anticipated highwater season of 1953.

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