Working Safe: In and Out of the Trench
Gaines and Company crews in North Carolina discussed trench and excavation safety, addressing questions, ideas, and personal experiences.
During NUCA’s (National Utility Contractors Association) 2024 Trench Safety Stand Down (June 17 – 21), eleven Gaines crews throughout Maryland and North Carolina paused operations to talk about trench safety. Discussions ranged from shielding, shoring, and sloping processes to individual and team safety. Crews shared personal stories and participated in hands-on demonstrations. At the end of the stand down, the message was clear: Safety is doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 39 people died while performing trench or excavation work in 2022, showing an upward trend from previous years. As an industry-leading site developer in the Mid-Atlantic Region, Gaines and Company consistently promotes safe work and provides the tools and training needed to work safely.
Crews participated in hands-on hydraulic shoring demonstrations.
During Trench Safety Week, utility crews in both Maryland and North Carolina paused work to discuss questions, concerns, and thoughts about trenching and excavation.
“I brought lunch, and we ate as a group and talked. The guys told personal stories about their experiences. It really took the point home,” said North Carolina Safety Manager Tommy Trent.
Trench Tech’s (R-L) Nathan Lamb, Carl Lamb, and Dan Domanski
Trench Tech – a shoring solutions company who has worked with Gaines for about nine years – brought its safety demonstration van to six job sites in Maryland. Trench Tech’s Shoring Specialist Carl Lamb, Sale Representative Dan Domanski, and Yard Associate Nathan Lamb answered questions and provided interactive demonstrations.
“When we asked the crews what questions they had, all six said the same thing – they had frustrations with unhooking the hydraulic line when hydraulic shoring. Having Carl and his team there was perfect. They not only demonstrated how to properly unhook the line, but also gave our guys the opportunity to try it themselves,” said Safety Director Dominic Pope.
Safety Director Dominic Pope asked trench and excavation-related trivia questions as an opportunity for participants to win prizes.
“Once I showed them how to do it, everyone was like, ‘Wow. This is the easiest thing in the world,’” said Carl. “The meetings went great. They weren’t just safety meetings to check the box. Crews were engaged and willing to learn. It was an awesome time!”
In addition to discussions and demonstrations, crews were also given shirts to commemorate Gaines’s 70th anniversary, as well as awarded the opportunity to win additional prizes by answering excavation-related trivia questions.
“It was a fantastic week. Gaines has a great group of employees who work safe and look out for each other,” said Dominic. “We hold these interactive toolbox talks so they don’t get complacent and remember how important it is to make the right decisions even when no one is watching.”
“Gaines is a top-notch company that invests in its employees and their safety. I believe they are truly an industry leader in the Mid-Atlantic Region,” said Carl. “They should be proud of their work while continuing to pay attention to safety, just as they’ve been doing.”
