Our blog for news and advice for increasing performance and productivity on the worksite.

As a customer training specialist for the Trench Safety group of United Rentals, I’ve noticed that many contractors share some misunderstandings about protective systems for...

Some excavations are relatively straightforward and simply require choosing the right excavation protective system for the job. Others — deep or complex trenches — require a custom...

Every time your workers enter a permit-required confined space (PRCS), they’re trusting that your company and its managers and field supervisors have taken the necessary steps to...

Trench work can be complicated. It’s also potentially dangerous, as evidenced by troubling fatality rates. In April 2019, the industry saw more trench fatalities than in any...

Many OSHA standards, such as 1926 subpart P for trenching and excavation, require a competent person to be onsite and perform certain activities. For example, during trench...

OSHA requires employers to follow set procedures whenever their employees are working inside a confined space. But what exactly is a confined space, and does a trench qualify? m...

Deeper trenches and large surcharges require professional input. Contractors can often develop their own shoring designs for trench excavations. But there are times when they need...

Wet weather can change what’s safe and what’s not. Spring and summer rains can create additional challenges when it comes to building a trench and maintaining trench safety...

Earlier this year the Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program issued a hazard alert after a spate of deaths from trench collapses in that state. En ta...

Eric Giguere remained conscious for only 90 seconds after a trench cave-in left him trapped 6 ½ feet underground. It was plenty of time to experience the terror of being buried...