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Eastern Oklahoma County's Tech's Trench Safety Program

What's wrong with this picture? The construction worker in this photo could be digging his own grave ­ or the grave of a coworker. To someone down in the trench, a hardhat is an inadequate safety device, given the extreme danger that surrounds him. He is alone at the bottom of a 20 ft. deep vertical trench. Excavated soil has been stockpiled at the very edge of the trench, adding to the pressure on the trench walls. Vibrations from a backhoe operating nearby increases the likelihood of a cave-in. There is no ramp. There is no ladder. There is no way for the worker to escape. This worker needs to be properly protected from a cave-in. His coworkers should be instructed in proper sloping, shoring and shielding procedures. Unfortunately, this is an all too common site in construction and excavation work. How big a problem are we talking about? Cave-ins are a major source of fatalities within the construction industry. Trenching accidents on construction sites account for an estimated 100 fatalities per year in the U.S., with injuries well into the thousands. The fatalities account for nearly 1 percent of all work-related deaths in the United States. EOC Tech's Trench Safety Program is based on the latest OSHA requirements for construction excavation safety. Its purpose is to teach safe trenching practices, in a modern format, taking advantage of both classroom instruction as well as actual outdoor rescue, recovery and safety operations. Who can benefit from the program? · Construction Workers · Emergency Rescue Personnel · Engineers · Power Companies · Safety Training Professionals · Telecommunications Companies · Utility Companies Trench Safety Trainer "Awareness" class ­ 4 hrs. "Competent Person" class ­ 8 hrs. "Confined Space" class ­ 8 hrs. ­ "Rescue & Recovery" course under development Center available for your company's own in-house training sessions Trainer large enough to accept trench boxes Classes forming now ­ call for details Contact Erick Reynolds at 405.390.6670 or ereynolds@eoctech.or Story by Sean Simpson EOC Public Information Office posted 10/3/2001