FACTS

1. Trenched areas sometimes have depleted oxygen levels, and the atmosphere can also be contaminated by toxic gases and chemicals.
2. Hitting utility lines when digging can cause electrocution and material gas leaks.
3. Before digging, have an expert examine soil stability.
4. Develop and have employees practice a trench collapse emergency plan.
5. Hiring a professional engineer or a qualified professional to design a system that prevents cave-ins is critical to prevent injury and jobsite fatalities.

STATS

• Seventy-two percent of the fatalities occurred in trenches less than nine feet deep. Only nine percent occurred deeper than 15 feet.
• The most commonly killed employees were […]

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