Fairfax, VA — As part of Trench Safety Month, the National Utility Contractors Association, in conjunction with OSHA, is urging employers involved in trench work to participate in the sixth annual Trench Safety Stand Down.
Set to take place June 14-18, the event is intended to raise awareness of the dangers of trenching and excavation while highlighting the use of protective systems such as sloping, shoring and shielding. OSHA’s standard for trenching and excavation (1926.650, Subpart P) requires protective systems for trenches that are 5 feet or deeper, unless the excavation occurs in stable rock.
According to OSHA, trench collapses claim the lives of two workers each month.
NUCA and OSHA are providing free online tools for the event, such as posters, checklists, fact sheets and videos. Additionally, NUCA and United Rentals are collaborating on a webinar series throughout the week.
“NUCA and the utility construction industry members seek out every measure possible to reduce risks on our jobsites, which we all know can be a dangerous place to work if someone is unaware of its hazards,” the association says in a press release.
NUCA encourages the use of the hashtag #TrenchSafetyMonth on social media to promote the stand-down and other related events throughout June.
