Fairfax, VA — Spreading awareness of the hazards of trenching and excavation and reinforcing the importance of using protective systems are the focus of the 10th annual Trench Safety Stand Down, set for June 16-20.
“There are processes in place, there are options in place to do this safely, to get people home,” Ed DeNeale, director of safety for the National Utility Contractors Association, told Safety+Health. “You’ve just got to talk about it.”
Employers are encouraged to conduct a toolbox talk or another safety activity to draw attention to the specific hazards related to working in and around trenches/excavations. NUCA – which is partnering with OSHA on the stand-down – says the hazards can be present in many industries, including utilities, residential and highway construction, and plumbing, as well as in the military.
OSHA’s standard on trenching and excavation (1916.650, Subpart P) requires protective systems such as sloping, shoring and shielding for trenches that are 5 feet or deeper, unless the excavation occurs in stable rock.
DeNeale stresses that the stand-down is intended for organizations of all sizes.
“If we just reach one small company,” he said, “then it makes it all worth it if people get home.”
