OSHA to Address Trench Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is sounding the alarm of trench-related injuries in the United States. In a press release, OSHA announced that it had updated its National Emphasis Program (NEP) to address the rising number of trench and excavation injuries. Among other things, the newly updated NEP includes education, training and enforcement specifications that are designed to lower the risk of injury among workers. 

The NEP was kicked off on Oct. 1 and is expected to run for three months, during which OSHA will educate employers in industries that regularly build and work with trenches on the potential dangers of them. OSHA says that it will provide tips and answers to employers seeking information about trench safety. It's important to note, however, that OSHA will note perform enforcement activities until this three-month period is over.

To kick off its trench-focused NEP, OSHA has released a new educational video as a well as a QuickCard. According to the safety organization, nearly two dozen U.S. workers were killed due to trench collapse in 2016.

OSHA's QuickCard provides some helpful information and tips on how to protect against trench collapse. For example, OSHA says that only experts should inspect trenches to determine if they are safe for workers. Trenches should also feature some form of save-in protection system as well as a clearly defined entry and exit point. Furthermore, OSHA says employers should remove all equipment and materials from the edges of trench so that they won't fall in while workers are present. These are just a few steps that employers can take to protect workers from trench-related injury.

OSHA's Loren Sweat says that employers should limit the number of workers who are allowed to be inside a trench and they should also assist those workers in identifying trench-related hazards that could otherwise lead to an injury.

"Removing workers from and helping workers identify trenching hazards is critical," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. "OSHA will concentrate the full force of enforcement and compliance assistance resources to help ensure that employers are addressing these serious hazards."

Of course, trench workers should wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). This isn't a requirement specifically for trench workers. Rather, OSHA requires all employers, regardless of industry, to provide workers with the appropriate PPE for their respective job.

You can learn more about OSHA's newly updated NEP that addresses trench injuries in the United States by visiting the organization's official website here.