MITA encourages you to participate in this year’s fourth annual Trench Safety Stand-Down (TSSD) which will be held the week of June 15-19, 2020. The goal is to reach out to as many employees who work in and around trenches and excavations and to provide them with information on current excavation requirements and safety procedures. By reaching as many workers as possible we can reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries that occur each year in this industry by continual education and awareness.
In an effort to continue to keep workers safe from COVID-19, MIOSHA will participate virtually, and the information can be found on MIOSHA’s website.
You can also find construction specific guidelines on COVID-19 issues available from the Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division.
The National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) has taken the lead this year in managing the Stand Down. Anyone who wants to prevent trenching and excavation hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand Down. To participate in the 2020 TSSD (June 15-19, 2020), NUCA will provide a Certificate of Participation which will be mailed to all participating companies by the end of July 2020. NUCA will publish the list of names of participating organizations on the NUCA website and in printed publications. See the following link for further information: https://www.nuca.com/tssd
We also encourage you to take advantage of the following resources:
- MITA’s Trench Safety Handbook (English & Spanish Versions): https://mi-ita.site-ym.com/store/ListProducts.aspx?catid=378351
- MITA’s Trench Right app for calculating an excavation angle of repose. Available in the Apple and Google Play stores.
- MIOSHA created a brief PowerPoint about Excavation hazards for use in tailgates, safety meetings, and toolbox talks.
- OSHA’s updated trenching and excavation webpage provides additional information on trenching hazards and solutions.
- OSHA Trenching E-Tool
- An updated trenching operation Quick Card (OSHA 3243 – 2018) (English PDF and Spanish PDF) provides information on protecting workers around trenches, including daily inspections, and trench wall safety.
