June is Trench Safety Month!

Backhoe stock photo

The National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) has deemed June as Trench Safety Month. This is also the sixth consecutive year of NUCA’s Trench Safety Stand Down Week June 14-18. During that week, NUCA and United Rentals will be providing guided toolbox talks and conducting webinars on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Webinar registration is available using the link below. Webinar descriptions and registration links have also been provided below for your convenience.

As a reminder, OSHA resources (including posters, Quick Cards, and a video) are available from the Trenching and Excavation Safety and Health Topics page.

  • Trench Safety Month Information Trench Safety Month [PDF]
  • Trench Stand-Down Week Information and Poster Trench Safety Stand-Down Week (poster available here [PDF])
  • Webinar Registration: trenchsafetyevents.com
  • Monday, June 14 at 8 am ET and 3 pm ET: The Buried Truth Uncovered.  Watch a presentation from a trench collapse survivor as he reveals his terrifying experience of being buried alive. Eric Giguere's story about his death-defying work-related accident that changed his life, as well as his personal commitment to safety awareness.
  • Wednesday, June 16 at 8 am ET and 3 pm ET: Thinking Outside the Trench. Protection from a trench collapse is not the only thing a Competent Person needs to be concerned with on the job-site. OSHA requires that a Competent Person drive compliance on a dozen specific requirements - can you name them? This session will review the trench safety related tasks, not associated with shoring, that a Competent Person must make sure are in place.  
  • Thursday, June 17 at 8 am ET and 3 pm ET: The Buried Truth Uncovered (in Spanish). At the conclusion of his presentation, Eric along with a bilingual translator will take questions.
  • Friday, June 18 at 8 am CST and 3 pm ET: Digging through the OSHA Standard.  In a survey from The Center for Construction Research and Training, roughly 1/3 of the respondents, consisting of both field workers and safety professionals, indicated they had uncertainty on how to comply with the standard. In this session we will focus on bringing clarity to those misunderstood requirements of the Excavation Standard.
  • OSHA Resources- Trenching and Excavation Safety and Health Topics page

The Great Lakes OSHA Education Center at Eastern Michigan University offers two upcoming programs in trench safety.

OSHA #3015 Excavation, Trenching and Soil Mechanics
August 3-5, 2021
Ypsilanti, MI

OSHA #7410 Managing Excavation Hazards
September 28, 2021
Ypsilanti, MI

Enroll online or contact [email protected] for more information.