“Workers who dig or excavate trench­es are at risk of death if they enter an unprotected trench and the walls col­lapse. However, hazards associated with trench work and excavation are well defined and preventable. The OSHA standard for excavation and trenching, known as 29 CFR* 1926 Subpart P, de­scribes the precautions needed for safe excavation work.

There is no reliable warning when a trench fails. The walls can collapse sud­denly, and workers will not have time to move out of the way. Even though small amounts of dirt may not seem treacherous, a single cubic yard of dirt can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, which can fatally crush or suffocate workers [Deatherage et al. 2004]. Even small, solid pieces of dirt can cause se­rious injuries.”

This is the first few lines from a new Workplace Solutions from NIOSH on Trench Cave-Ins, Preventing Worker Deaths from Trench Cave-ins.

NIOSH has produced many Workplace Solutions brochures available to the business community on a variety of safety topics. Many of these publications are free when ordering them from NIOSH. Our federal government at work.

Workers in Illinois will continue to benefit from the renewal of an alliance between JULIE Inc. (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators), the State of Illinois Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The alliance is designed to combine resources to prevent hazards faced by workers involved in trenching and excavation operations in the state of Illinois.

“Excavation hazards are still one of OSHA’s national emphasis programs and excavations that are entered without proper precautions present a significant risk for workers,” said OSHA Area Director for Peoria Nick Walters. “We believe that this alliance will give employers and employees throughout the state a greater opportunity to understand the hazards associated with excavations and the controls that need to be used to prevent serious injuries.”

The alliance requires each organization to contribute to the development of training sessions and materials on safe excavation activities. The groups will share resources and information to raise awareness and commitment to workplace safety and health. Information will be shared through participation in a variety of forums throughout Illinois.

OSHA health and safety alliances are part of OSHA’s ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of employees through cooperative partnerships with trade associations, labor organizations, employers and government agencies. OSHA currently has more than 470 alliances throughout the nation with organizations committed to fostering safety and health in the workplace.