Know Trenching. No Accidents. – 2020 Trench Safety Stand Down Week
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) credits working in and around trenches among the most hazardous construction activities. Cave-ins pose the greatest risk to these workers. With one cubic yard of soil weighing as much as a small pickup truck, hundreds of workers die and thousands more sustain serious injuries due to cave-ins. Other trench-related hazards include inhalation of toxic materials, falls, and fire. As a full-service site development company, Gaines and Company is participating in trench safety awareness efforts during the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) Trench Safety Stand Down Week.
Specializing in underground utilities, grading, excavating, erosion controls, and road work, Gaines and Company performs a significant amount of trench-related work. Therefore, both of the organization’s locations are participating in the OSHA-supported stand down, observed June 15-19. The goal of the stand down is to emphasize the importance of working safely and diligently in and around trenches. This includes empowering all crew members to actively participate in the organization’s safety culture by understanding, following, and encouraging safe practices and procedures.
With the theme of “Know trenching. No accidents.”, crews throughout Gaines and Company’s Maryland and North Carolina locations are discussing trench safety by reviewing policies, procedures, and requirements, as well as sharing trench safety stories.
Additionally, crew members have the opportunity to win safety bucks to use in the company’s E-Safety Shop by competing in safety trivia.
“Gaines and Company encourages a positive safety culture by developing employee comfort and confidence in discussing and addressing safety-related issues,” said Gaines and Company Safety Director Dominic Pope. “During Trench Safety Stand Down Week, we encourage workers to take ownership of their team’s safety through open communication and participation. After all, it is our organization and industry partners that create safety procedures. But it is our workers that cultivate our safety culture.”
Trench Safety Stand Down Week is part of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program. Programs within this initiative focus on specific hazards and high-hazard industries. Gaines and Company is participating in Trench Safety Stand Down Week for the third consecutive year.
Gaines and Company is a full-service site development company with an award- winning safety excellence program. In both the Maryland and North Carolina divisions, a Safety Excellence Achievement Award is given on a quarterly basis to any employee who goes above and beyond in their dedication to safety.
