Trench Safety Stand Down Set for June 15-19, Registration Now Open
According to Safety+Health Magazine, the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) is calling on employers involved in trench work to participate in the Trench Safety Stand Down, scheduled for June 15-19.
Why Trench Safety Still Demands Attention
The stakes for excavation crews are significant. According to a data bulletin from CPWR, The Center for Construction Research and Training, 39 workers across all industries died while performing trench and excavation work in 2022, up from 15 the year prior. The construction industry accounted for 85% of fatal trenching injuries from 2011 to 2021, and 90% of nonfatal injuries from 2011 to 2022.
The stand down is designed to raise awareness of trench and excavation hazards, protective trench system requirements, and safety procedures for work in and around trenches and excavations. NUCA is encouraging participation from utility construction companies, residential and highway contractors, plumbers, unions, military, associations, educational institutions, and safety equipment manufacturers. Notably, participation is open to both NUCA members and nonmembers.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Register before the window closes. The event runs June 15-19, and registration is available online through the stand-down website. There is no fee or membership requirement to participate.
- Use the free training resources. The stand-down website includes toolbox talks, training materials, a safety checklist, and podcasts. These are ready-made resources that crew leads and safety coordinators can deploy directly on the jobsite.
- Document your participation. Running a formal stand down creates a paper trail that demonstrates proactive safety compliance, relevant if your work is subject to OSHA excavation standards under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P.
- The numbers make the case internally. If you need to justify pulling crews off the tools for a safety session, the CPWR fatality data (39 deaths in 2022 alone) gives you a concrete, sourced argument for management.
