Visit the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) website for information and resources: Trench Safety Stand-Down Week.  During TSSD Week, United Rentals will be generously hosting a series of webinars covering a range or important trench safety topics.  NUCA highly endorses these events and encourages members to check them out via the link:  United Rentals/NUCA TSSD Week Webinar Series.

Additional Resources Available from OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics Page: Trenching and Excavation – Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

• Excavations in Construction: Soil Classification. OSHA Prevention Video (vTools). Also available in Spanish. This OSHA video shows one of the steps, classifying soil, that employers must follow so that trenching work can be done safely. This video is not intended to be a complete educational tool, instead it is meant as an introduction for people who want to know more. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace and required protective equipment. You’ll learn how having the right information about a construction site can help save lives.
• Excavations in Construction: Trenching. OSHA Prevention Video (vTools). Also available in Spanish. This OSHA video shows how quickly cave-ins lead to workers’ deaths. The video will also show what employers must do to assure that the work can be done more safely. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace and required protective equipment. You’ll see that using the right type of protection saves lives.
• Trenching and Excavation Safety. OSHA Publication 2226, (2015). Highlights key elements of the standards and describes safe work practices that can protect workers from cave-ins and other hazards.
• Trenching and Excavation Safety. OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3476), (2011). Also available in Spanish.
• Working Safely in Trenches. OSHA QuickCard™ (Publication 3243), (2011). Also available in Spanish.
• Excavation and Trenching Best Practices for Operators. OSHA and the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) Alliance, (February 2008). Also available in Spanish. Addresses issues associated with excavation and trenching activities such as worksite preparation, personal protective equipment and collapse prevention.
• Excavation and Trenching Best Practices for Supervisory Personnel. OSHA and the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) Alliance, (February 2008). Also available in Spanish. Addresses issues associated with supervision of workers who are engaged in excavation and trenching activities such as worksite preparation, personal protective equipment and collapse prevention.
• Excavator Operation Best Practices for Supervisory Personnel, Operators, and Workers. OSHA and the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) Alliance, (February 2008). Addresses which issues associated with the operation of excavation equipment such as pre-and post-operation procedures, safe operation considerations, and supervisory recommendations.
• Horizontal Directional Drilling Best Practices for Operators. OSHA and the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) Alliance, (February 2008). Also available in Spanish. Addresses issues associated with the operation of horizontal directional drilling equipment such as pre-and post-operation procedures and safe operation considerations.
• Horizontal Directional Drilling Best Practices for Supervisory Personnel. OSHA and the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) Alliance, (February 2008). Also available in Spanish. Addresses issues associated with supervision of workers who are engaged in the operation of horizontal directional drilling equipment such as pre-and post-operation procedures and safe operation considerations.

Increasing Awareness of Factors that Influence Trench Safety
Moderator: Eileen Betit, CPWR’s Research to Practice (r2p) Director
Presenters:
Scott Ketcham, Director, OSHA Directorate of Construction
Joe Wise, Regional Customer Training Manager at United Rentals Trench Safety
Dr. Alan Echt, Sr. Industrial Hygienist, NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health
Thursday, May 28^th, 2020 (Play Recording, Download Presentation, or link to You Tube recording here).

Trench Safety Resource Files:

TSSD Poster Full Page UR 2022

trench_safety_tips_card

OSHA3974 – 5 Things to know to be Safe

OSHA3971

osha2226 – Excavation Safety

CPWR Trenches-Fact-Sheet

3255_trench_poster_spanish

3215_trench_poster_eng

OSHA: National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a National Emphasis Program to protect millions of workers from heat illness and injuries.  As part of the program, OSHA will proactively initiate inspections in over 70 high-risk industries in indoor and outdoor work settings when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. On days when the heat index is 80^oF or higher, OSHA inspectors and compliance assistance specialists will engage in proactive outreach and technical assistance to help stakeholders keep workers safe on the job. Inspectors will look for and address heat hazards during inspections, regardless of whether the industry is targeted in the NEP.

OSHA’s area offices will engage in outreach to unions, employers in target industries and other organizations committed to advancing protections for underserved workers. The agency’s On-Site Consultation Program, a free and confidential health and safety consulting program for small- and medium-sized businesses, will assist employers in developing strategic approaches for addressing heat-related illnesses and injuries in workplaces.

In addition, the agency will hold a public stakeholder meeting on May 3, 2022, to discuss OSHA’s ongoing activities to protect workers from heat-related hazards, including the Heat Illness Prevention Campaign, compliance assistance activities and enforcement efforts. You can register for the event here.

For more information, see the Press Release and OSHA’s webpage on working in outdoor and indoor heat environments. Please share this information with your stakeholders, as appropriate.

Attached is the second in a series of Focus Four Toolbox Talks (TBTs). April TBTs pertain to struck-by hazards.  In addition, please find the stakeholder campaign letter, sample toolbox trainer tips, sample toolbox sign-in sheet and various OSHA publications for your use.  OSHA, our state plans, consultation projects, and construction industry partners request that you share all campaign materials with your industry stakeholders, partners, and alliance members.  As noted below the Focus Four Hazards account for the vast majority of fatalities and serious injuries in the construction industry.

Help us spread the word and save a life! 

Please note that the Focus Four campaign is a four-month endeavor and additional toolbox talks will be sent out to stakeholders pertaining to fall and caught-in/between hazards.  The schedule for the campaign is below:

March – Electrical Hazards

April – Struck-by Hazards

May – Fall Hazards

June – Caught-in/Between

If you would like more information pertaining to the campaign, please feel free to contact me or our designated Focus Four email address, [email protected].

Other toolbox talks can be found at:

https://www.cpwr.com/research/research-to-practice-r2p/r2p-library/toolbox-talks/ (English & Spanish)

https://www.agc.org/learn/education-training/lean-construction/lean-trades-toolbox-talk-series (varied topics)

https://gbca.com/hard-hat-chat/gbca-safety-toolbox-talk-tool-safety-when-working-from-heights-2/

Other attachments include

Struck By (changing bales): Fatal Facts (OSHA 3616 – 2012) (English: PDF)

Work Zone Traffic Safety Fact Sheet (2005) (English: PDF)

Work Zone Traffic Safety QuickCard™

(OSHA 3284 – 2007) (English: PDF) & (Spanish: PDF)

Thank you in advance for your support and participation.

Focus Four Campaign

The Focus Four Hazards have accounted for the vast majority of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry. In an effort to prevent future injuries and fatalities, OSHA, our state plans, consultation projects, and construction industry partners have initiated a “Focus Four Hazards” campaign from March through June in Region Three’s jurisdiction.  The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness in the recognition, evaluation, and control of these hazards through the delivery of toolbox talks for employers to provide to their workers. These toolbox talks will be available during the campaign for employers to use at their own discretion.   Construction’s “Fatal Four” Out of 4764* worker fatalities in all industries in calendar year 2020, 1,008 or 21% were in construction―that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction. The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by struck-by, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These “Fatal Four” hazards were responsible for more than half (57%) of the construction worker deaths in 2020*, according to BLS reports. ·         Falls – 368 out of 1,008 total deaths in construction in CY 2020 (~37%) ·         Struck by Object – 83 (8%) ·         Electrocutions – 53 (5%) ·         Caught-in/between – 70 (~7%) This category includes construction workers killed when caught-in or compressed by equipment or objects, and struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material. Eliminating these four hazards would save 574 lives each year. We ask that you assist us in promoting this campaign with your construction contacts and encourage your leadership to participate in these efforts to prevent future injuries and fatalities. To receive these toolbox talks, you can contact our Area Offices, Consultation Projects, or send us an email request at [email protected]. We appreciate your assistance and support with this campaign.  We encourage you to provide feedback which will assist us in promoting future efforts and evaluating our impact in the construction industry. All voluntary feedback may be sent to OSHA’s designated Focus 4 campaign account at [email protected].  We thank you for your part in bringing awareness to these preventable incidents.

Download links for Focus Four Toolbox Talks:

Focus_Four_Stats_CY-2020-1.png

Focus-Four-Tips-for-Trainer-2022-1.pdf

Toolbox-Talk-sign-sheet-format-2022-1.docx

FHWA_National_Work_Zone_Awareness_Week_Factsheet_2022-1.pdf

OSHA-FF-3616_Struck-By-fatality-2012-1.pdf

OSHA-3284-Quick-Card_Work-Zone-Traffic-Safety-2007-1.pdf

OSHA-3284_Quick-Card_Work-Zone-Quick-Card_ES-2007-Seguridad-del-trafico-en-las-zonas-de-trabajo-1.pdf

OSHA-Work_Zone_Traffic_Safety-Fact-Sheet-2005-1.pdf

Struck-by-Toolbox-Talk-6-head-protection-1.pdf

Struck-by-Toolbox-Talk-1-working-around-equipment-1.pdf

Struck-by-Toolbox-Talk-3-workzone-driving-1.pdf

Struck-by-Toolbox-Talk-2-incident-1.pdf

Struck-by-Toolbox-Talk-4-equip-and-objects-1.pdf

Struck-by-Toolbox-Talk-5-working-around-loads-1.pdf

Click to VIEW/DOWNLOAD/PRINT the PDF file:
Worker Exposure Risk to COVID-19.PDF

Click to Download