This week, June 18-23, is the Trench Safety Stand Down, sponsored by the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) and the North American Excavation Shoring Association (NAXSA), and supported by the Occupational Safety and Health Association. According to the NUCA the goal of the stand down is, “to reach out to the many workers who work in and around trenches and excavations to provide them with information about current excavation requirements and safety procedures for working in trenches.”
In honor of this weeklong observance, 糖心传媒 is sharing the following trench safety tips from the NUCA:
- Locate all underground utilities before digging.
- Enter only trenches that have been sloped at the proper angle, shored, or shielded.
- Never go outside the area that has been sloped, shored, or shielded — not even for a moment.
- Eliminate or control water accumulation before entering the trench.
- Stay alert when working in or near previously disturbed soil conditions.
- Do not permit vehicles near the edge of the trench.
- Check regularly for hazardous materials and oxygen levels in the trench.
- Never allow machines to run unattended.
- Use a ladder or ramp to get in and out of the trench. Place the ladder inside the protective system.
- Never climb on shoring or shields.
- Never ride in equipment buckets or on crane hooks.
- Wear hard hats when working in or around trenches.
- Stay out from under raised loads.
Finally, keep in mind that about half of the workers killed in trenches die trying to rescue someone else who’s been buried in a cave-in. Don’t attempt a rescue yourself, call 911 instead.
to learn more about NUCA’s Trench Safety Stand Down Week.
to view an infographic listing the approved protective systems for proper trench and excavation procedures.
