This month has seen a lot of discussion on shoring safety in the news, particularly in regards to trench shoring. Secure trench shoring is vital to safe excavation, as workers who get caught in a collapsed trench have almost no time to react, so OSHA takes violations of trench safety practices very seriously. Likewise, contractors and even newscasters take pains to remind people of the necessary training and precautions required to work in any trench or deep hole. At Thorcon Shotcrete and Shoring, we put safety first in our practices, and are dedicated to the safe completion of every job. Here are some stories that came out in April about businesses who have and have not lived up to trench shoring safety expectations.
- At the beginning of April, OSHA fined a New Jersey company after poor trench shoring caused a ditch collapse last October. Sadly, during the collapse, two men lost their lives. The OSHA representative emphasized that “two workers are killed each month in trench collapses,” which is why these investigations and fines are important. For the safety of our workers, our team at Thorcon always practices safe trench shoring, protecting against sidewall collapses with sound engineering.
- Here in Colorado, two companies were fined by OSHA for failing to correctly protect their workers from trench collapse. Luckily, neither of these companies yet suffered a collapse, but safety inspections found that their workers were in danger. Especially in light of the New Jersey incident, it’s important for safety inspections to continue to protect workers against unsafe practices.
- In order to further protect workers, fire departments often train in trench rescue operations. Just today, a Bakersfield, CA story came out about a recent trench rescue training operation for the local firefighters there. “Trench rescue is one of the most complex aspects of a firefighter’s job,” reports the article, which once again shows how important it is for shoring companies to implement the correct safety precautions from the beginning, so as to not risk the lives of workers or rescue crews.
- To keep safety at the top of everyone’s minds, a Seattle writer and safety expert just released a piece today with explanations of safety practices while working in deep holes and trenches. She advocates trenching and shoring training for all Seattle’s workers who might find themselves in deep excavation work, arguing that “monitoring employee training and staffing the job from the beginning with the most qualified personnel for each project can prevent a number of injuries.” We agree, which is why all of our team members are trained in safety and are empowered to stop the job if they notice any kind of safety infringement.
From our headquarters in Littleton, CO, we serve Denver, the rest of Colorado as well as surrounding states with our shotcrete and shoring services. If you have a project that requires deep excavation, contact the safety experts. We’ll design a custom solution and finish the job with the utmost attention to safety and client satisfaction. At Thorcon, we are determined that none of our workers will become another statistic in the ongoing battle against poor trench shoring safety.