Trench Incident Safety Statistics – Australia

A Deep Dive Into The Critical Topic of Trench Safety

Among Australian work industries, construction posted the third-highest number of fatalities and the fourth-highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers in 2022.

• It’s crucial to bring some awareness to key facts and figures around trench safety to minimise the vast number of fatal incidents across the industry:
• 1.5 m depth at which an excavation is classified as high risk
• 1.7t average weight of one cubic meter of packed soil
• 359 workplace incidents involving unsafe excavations
• 36% of serious claims were a result of body stress, 23% were from slips, trips, and falls
• 72% of all serious claims were a result of an injury

To help prevent future injuries on site when trenches are needed, Safe Work Australia’s model Code of Practice: Excavation Work provides guidance on controlling the risk of trench collapse, including benching, battering, shoring and shielding - all of which Shore Hire can help with.

Shore Hire has made certain that all of our trench support equipment is as safe and versatile as possible. All of our equipment exceeds Australian safety standards, and the on-site support of our technical sales and engineering teams means you can be confident you’re getting the right gear for the job when you use Shore Hire.

For more information about our complete range of shoring services and equipment, visit your nearest branch, email [email protected], or call our friendly team of experts at 1800 UR HIRE.