Crea: Excavation at Fatal Site Violated Technical Standards
The Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy of Espírito Santo (Crea-ES) has determined that the excavation at the construction site where four men died was performed outside of technical norms. The incident occurred on Friday, July 31st, when a landslide buried businessman Vanderson Santana André, 35, and three masons: Ronival Moreira de Jesus, Ruan Moreira da Luz, and Valdomiro Moreira de Jesus. The four victims were working on the expansion of a beverage distribution center in Nova Rosa da Penha II, Cariacica, in the Greater Vitória region. Crea-ES technicians inspected the site on Saturday, August 1st, and concluded that the nearly vertical excavation, a 90-degree cut, was incompatible with safety regulations. According to Crea-ES fiscal engineer Giuliano Battisti, such excavations require specific inclines to prevent risks to workers and nearby properties. The investigation also revealed indications that the work was proceeding without a technical supervisor, despite an initial project for a retaining wall that was reportedly not continued. The Municipal Civil Defense had previously embargoed the construction about a year prior to the accident, ordering an immediate halt to services. The Prefeitura de Cariacica stated that there was no oversight failure and that the responsible party irregularly resumed work approximately one week before the collapse. The landslide led to the indefinite interdiction of three properties, including the distribution center, a neighboring warehouse, and an adjacent two-story building. Seven residents from one family have been displaced and are staying with relatives. The site remains unstable, with weather variations posing a risk of further landslides, necessitating engineering stabilization work before the affected building can be reoccupied. The Civil Police are investigating the circumstances of the collapse through the Specialized Labor Accident Registry (Deat). The bodies of the victims, who were reportedly related and known in the community, were sent to the IML and later released to their families for burial on Saturday, August 2nd.
The collapse highlights critical failures in construction site oversight and regulatory enforcement. The determination by Crea-ES that the excavation violated technical standards, coupled with the Civil Defense's prior embargo, suggests a pattern of disregard for safety protocols. The alleged resumption of work without a technical supervisor points to systemic issues in ensuring accountability within the construction industry. Moving forward, strengthening independent oversight mechanisms and implementing stricter penalties for non-compliance could mitigate future tragedies. The event also underscores the vulnerability of communities to infrastructure development when safety and regulatory frameworks are not rigorously applied, particularly in areas prone to geological instability.
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