NUCA Trench Safety Month Puts Excavation Compliance in the Spotlight This June
According to Construction Dive, the National Utility Contractors Association has designated June as Trench Safety Month, anchoring the campaign with its annual Trench Safety Stand Down running June 15-19 at hundreds of jobsites across the country.
Why Trench Safety Is Getting Renewed Attention
The campaign arrives against a backdrop of stubborn fatality numbers. Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by Construction Dive recorded 18 trench collapse deaths in 2024. By June 2025, OSHA had already counted 11 trench-related fatalities year to date, and officials noted those deaths were not limited to construction work alone.
NUCA’s stand down, co-supported by OSHA and the Trenching and Excavation Safety Taskforce, includes safety training sessions, toolbox talks, educational seminars, and live trench rescue demonstrations. In 2025, the event drew more than 24,200 workers and first responders across 461 jobsites. Skout Raney, chairman of NUCA’s Safety Committee and director of health and safety at Florida-based underground contractor AllClear Underground Solutions, told Construction Dive that scenario-based training has proven especially effective. “Scenario-based hazard recognition exercises are impactful because they present realistic situations such as unstable soil, improper shoring or nearby traffic and require workers to identify risks and choose the correct protective measures,” Raney said.
He was direct about where the industry keeps falling short: “Too often, schedule pressure, inadequate supervision or complacency leads crews to take dangerous shortcuts. Contractors must understand that awareness and training alone are not enough.”
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Document your stand down participation now. If your crew attends any June training events tied to NUCA’s campaign, log attendance, topics covered, and instructor names. That documentation is your first line of defense if OSHA shows up.
- Review your protective systems before the next dig. Raney specifically called out improper shoring as a recurring hazard in training scenarios. Verify that your crew’s competent person can identify soil classifications and select the correct protective system for each excavation.
- Don’t let schedule pressure drive shortcuts. Raney’s warning maps directly to how OSHA evaluates willful violations. If a foreman skips cave-in protection because a job is running late, that becomes a recordable incident and a potential citation, not just a near miss.
- Non-NUCA members can still use this month. The campaign is designed to reach the entire underground excavation industry, not just association members. Training resources and toolbox talk materials promoted through NUCA’s social and media outreach are broadly accessible.
- First responder readiness counts too. With live trench rescue demonstrations included in the stand down, subcontractors working near emergency services or on municipal contracts should confirm that site emergency plans are current and posted.
