“It happens instantaneously,” said Emil Szotko, construction safety specialist for OSHA’s Region 5 in Chicago.
When a construction trench caves in, the force is powerful and dangerous for those working inside; their fate is often sealed immediately.
“Working in trenches is a very dangerous job, because most of the time, when trenches collapse, it’s a recovery mission, not a rescue,” Szotko told Construction Dive.
The National Utility Contractors Association named June as National Trench Safety month, an opportunity for contractors to find time to host toolbox talks, webinars or safety stand downs to discuss best practices for working in excavations.
