Description

Excavation and trenching are among the most hazardous construction operations. Trench collapses, or cave-ins, are a significant risk and safety issue, and cause dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries each year. These types of incidents are tragic—and they are preventable.
 
OSHA believes there is a potential of collapse in all excavations. This leads to the increased emphasis on trenching and excavating that is driven by collapses and fatalities. During the session, we will look at the top hazards that are found with trenches.
•             Often there is not a competent person on site which leads to unprotected trenches and excavations.
•             New workers often lack proper supervision from a competent person.
•             Training is lacking and needs to be addressed before the excavation starts.
We will also discuss real world examples of trenches and the issues and hazards that are pictured.
 
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/trench_excavation_fs.pdf