Underground Construction - May 2019 - 18

Selecting the Right Trench Protection
the surrounding area. The competent person
is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the
excavation, including the inspection of the
shoring and shielding equipment.
This requires a daily check, at a minimum. It
is also necessary to do an inspection every time
there is a change in conditions. This could be a
rainstorm, for example, that can directly affect

the stability of the soil. It is critical for the competent person to continually monitor job-site
conditions and reclassify the soil, if necessary.

Training is essential for safety
Maintaining up-to-date training on safety
regulations and equipment solutions is essential to keeping construction workers safe. Too

often, workers doing this type of underground
work think an accident won't happen to them.
In some cases, workers may not even realize
they are facing a hazard due to lack of training.
Unfortunately, accidents happen all-too
often. When a worker suffers a life-changing
injury or fatality, the cost goes beyond citations, fines and court settlements. In the end,
families are left with the burden of moving
forward and coping with their loss.
Consider participating in the annual Trench
Safety Stand Down, which takes place June
17-21 this year. This is a valuable resource and
an excellent opportunity to discuss safety with
workers, including the hazards of working in
and around trenches and excavations.

Additional support

SAY HELLO TO THE SAFEST
GUARDING ON EARTH
Brandt Hard To The Core guarding products have earned
their reputation for delivering superior operator safety, machine
protection, and maximum productivity. Built specifically for Deere
equipment, Brandt guarding assures optimal fit, protection and
easy access to maintenance areas. Guarding packages can be
added at time of purchase, or installed later - more reasons to
believe that nobody works harder than Brandt to keep you safe,
productive and profitable. That's Powerful Value. Delivered.

brandt.ca 1-877-533-3133

MAY 2019 | UConOnline.com

The challenges of job-site safety and productivity are factors utilities and contractors face
every day. It can be a good strategy to tap into
third-party experts which offer quality safety
training, as well as other types of support
outside the classroom.
As an organization looks to deploy the right
trench protection system for each job site,
consider the advantages of using third-party
resources to tackle areas that are outside a
company's usual range of performance or
experience. These experts can solve gaps in a
variety of skills, such as providing specialty
equipment, training, pre-bid analysis on
protective systems, on-site consultation and
engineering designs.
The fundamental objectives of trench
protection systems are to advance worker
safety and job-site productivity. A well-made,
OSHA-compliant and all-inclusive trench protection system tackles both objectives on two
levels: equipment and personnel. With these
needs addressed, utilities and contractors not
only maintain safety on the job site, but also
produce quality work without risk to budgets
or deadlines. *
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
United Rentals, (800) 213-5373,
unitedrentals.com

EDITOR'S NOTE
This article discusses common industry processes
and is not intended to be a substitute for site-specific
professional/expert advice, instruction and supervision. It
is recommended to consult with shoring and excavation
experts to ensure full compliance of Federal OSHA 29
CFR, Part 1926, Subpart P-Excavations and Trenches.

BLAKE SMITH is a sales and marketing director
at United Rentals and a former region product
development manager for trench safety.

CMY

http://www.unitedrentals.com http://www.brandt.ca http://www.UConOnline.com

Underground Construction - May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Underground Construction - May 2019