JUNE 2024 IS TRENCH SAFETY MONTH!

What is a Safety Stand Down?
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.

Trench Safety Stand Down Week Goals
TSSD was first held in 2016 by NUCA, with OSHA joining as a partner a year later. The goal of the event is to reach out to the many workers who work in and around trenches and excavations to provide them with information about current excavation requirements and safety procedures for working in trenches. By reaching as many workers as possible we can reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries that occur each year in our industry, and make others, such as municipal and industry workers who are also exposed, aware of these serious hazards.

How to Conduct a Trench Safety Stand Down
Member companies will conduct a Trench Safety Stand Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity to draw attention to the specific hazards related to working in and around trenches/excavations. We ask that member companies provide to NUCA of DC feedback about their Stand Down, such as when it was held, how many workers participated, how you shared information with employees. NUCA of DC will collect the information and share with NUCA National to publicize the overall total number of participants, and publish the names of the companies that held a Trench Safety Stand Down. Click Here to access Toolbox Talks

Who Can Participate?
Anyone who wants to prevent trenching and excavation hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand Down. We encourage utility construction, residential, highway construction, plumbers, military, unions, associations, educational institutes, and safety equipment manufacturers to participate.

Visit the TSSD website for more information: https://www.nuca.com/tssd