Workers, Don't Let the Trenches Collapse on Your Bodies....

Another trench collapse. Another accident that could have been avoided. Another person suffering from injuries he didn’t have to incur.

This time, it appears that the man in the trench escaped with his life. Others involved in trench collapses haven’t been as fortunate. This 1985 collapse in Sedalia killed two men in a trench installing drainage pipe, and two other men who leaped in to try to rescue them. There have been many similar tragedies in Colorado and nationwide. Municipal workers have suffered in such incidents, too.

Every time I hear about one of these incidents, I get angry. Because this is one type of accident that absolutely can be avoided.  Every supervisor and employee involved in trenching and excavating needs to be well-versed in the hazards and how to avoid them. Written procedures consistent with OSHA standards must be in place, and must be followed consistently. These are among CIRSA’s most important loss control standards for members. What? You’re a small town and it’s burdensome to comply? Well, let's talk about an exemption from this standard after you obtain an exemption from the laws of gravity, okay?

There are many resources available to assist you. Please contact the CIRSA Loss Control Department. Check out this excellent Loss Alert the Department prepared. Peruse the many materials available from OSHA. And this is a handy OSHA Quickcard you can use. There is no excuse for allowing a trench collapse to occur because you didn’t follow safe practices and procedures. Please don’t let it happen in your entity.

Sing it with me!

Workers, Don't Let the Trenches Collapse on Your Bodies
(with apologies to Ed & Patsy Bruce, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and all those Mamas and Cowboys, and thanks to Bob and Jay in Loss Control for their help)

Workers, don’t let the trenches collapse on your bodies
Don’t go trenchin’ without proper protection around you
Remember the sloping and shoring and shielding

Bosses, don’t let your workers die in a collapse
A competent person should be there during the diggin’
Inspect every trench at the start of each shift

Trenches ain’t easy to dig, and the sides may not hold
They’d rather give in to gravity and cave in
The sides will buckle and crush whatever they can

Trenches 4 feet or deeper require safe access
If 5 feet or deeper a protective system is needed
Engineer for twenty feet or deeper

Workers, don’t ever enter an unprotected trench
It’s better you stay safe than become a statistic
Remember all the fatalities that happen each year

Workers, don’t let the trenches collapse on your bodies
Don’t go trenchin’ without proper protection around you
Remember the sloping and shoring and shielding