2024 Trench Safety Stand Down Week at Magnum

What is a Safety Stand Down?

NUCA states, “A Safety Stand Down presents the opportunity for employers to talk directly to employees and others about safety. These Stand Downs will focus on trench & excavation hazards and reinforce the importance of using trench protective systems and protecting workers from trenching hazards.”

National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) has proclaimed June as Trench Safety month! Beginning on June 17th, and lasting through the 21st, it is important to “draw attention to the specific hazards related to working in and around trenches/excavations.” Magnum is committed to providing a safe, injury-free worksite. By stressing the importance of safety, our team is continually focused on the safety of our worksites. On June 21st, Magnum partnered with NUCA, Sunstate Equipment & Padgett Risk Consultants for Magnum employees & managers to receive a certificate of completion in 2024 Trench Safety Stand Down Week.

Toolbox Talks: Spotlight On Safety

Working in a trench is one of the most hazardous jobs in construction. Hundreds of people die and thousands are seriously injured each year due to cave-ins. 

Trench Safety Tips

• Locate all underground utilities before digging.
• Enter only trenches that have been sloped at the proper angle, shored, or shielded.
• Never go outside the area that has been sloped, shored, or shielded, not even for a moment.
• Eliminate or control water accumulation before entering the trench.
• Stay alert when working in or near previously disturbed soil conditions.
• Do not permit vehicles near the edge of the trench.
• Check regularly for hazardous materials and oxygen levels in the trench.
• Never allow machines to run unattended.
• Use a ladder or a ramp to get in and out of the trench. Place the ladder inside the protective system.
• Never climb on shoring or shields. Never ride in equipment buckets or on crane hooks.
• Wear hard hats when working in or around trenches.
• Stay out from under raised loads.

Always be sure that the trench walls are sloped, shored, or shielded with a trench box and that the trench is safe before you enter.