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To the Editor: Risks associated with professional construction excavations in clay, soil, and rock and the consequences of collapse of such holes have long been recognized¹ and are the subject of government safety guidelines for industry.^2-3 However, similar serious but largely unrecognized dangers (including sudden death) may be associated with innocent-appearing recreational beach activities. While traditionally there has been a focus on water safety at public beaches, the risks and threats to the recreational safety of children associated with dry-sand holes have to date achieved little attention in the general public and medical community.

Methods

We identified through news media accounts and personal communication (and subsequent event tracking to obtain detailed information, including telephone and personal interviews with rescuers and other witnesses)^4-5 7 witnessed cases in which death (n = 4) or life-threatening circumstances (n = 3) occurred in dry-sand holes. These cases were directly attributable to collapsed unreinforced excavations in . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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