Trenching safety: OSHA training institute produces free video

Baton Rouge, LA — The OSHA Region 6 Training Institute Education Centers recently published a video on trenching and excavation safety.

The one-hour video addresses best practices, cave-in protection, resources and other hazards workers encounter in trenching.

“When done safely, trenching operations can reduce worker exposure to other potential hazards, including falls, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres and incidents involving mobile equipment,” the Mid-South OTI Education Center states on its website. “To protect these workers, employers must think about preventing injuries and providing workers with the right equipment for the job.”

Registration is required to access the free video.

According to OSHA, 23 workers died in trench collapses in 2016, exceeding the combined total from 2014 and 2015. The agency has made the issue a priority goal and reminds workers to slope, shore and shield trenches.