Washington — A new OSHA public service announcement campaign featuring Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta places a spotlight on the increase in trench-related worker deaths.
According to the agency, 23 construction workers were killed in trench collapses in 2016, exceeding the combined total from 2014 and 2015.
In the PSA, Acosta shares the following trenching safety tips:
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- Ensure workers in the trench have a safe way to enter and exit.
- Provide cave-in protection.
- Keep materials clear from the edge of the trench.
- Look for standing water or atmospheric hazards.
- Never enter a trench before it has been properly inspected.
