It’s a reality that’s sadly far too common in the construction industry… collapsed trenches due to shortcuts and lack of adequate shoring equipment. The news is regularly reporting on these incidents, which almost always result in injury or even death. You’d think after seeing these tragedies in the headlines, construction companies would pay more attention to OSHA regulations surrounding trench digging, but unfortunately they do not.
When a trench does collapse, the first people that are called are emergency personnel such as the fire department. They put their lives in danger trying to save those that are trapped in trenches, and as a result, many of them suffer injuries as well.
According to an article on FireChief.com, “trench events have a mortality rate 2.5 times greater than all other construction-related events.” The fire department has a tough job to do, and that is why OSHA has specific guidelines in place regarding rescue situations, just like they have guidelines for trench digging. Fire departments must learn and follow these guidelines or else face penalties just like construction companies that fail to use proper procedures.
Of course, the best case scenario would be that all jobs utilize proper shoring equipment and follow all safety guidelines from the start of the project through completion. The fewer rescue situations that are required, the fewer lives are put at risk. We are more than happy to work with you on any job, and recommend the right tools to do the job quickly and safely without any OSHA violations. To learn more, visit our website or give us a call at 636-660-SHOR.
