US Department of Labor, excavation industry association to host trench safety summit to stem alarming national rise in worker fatalities caused by cave-ins

Who:        Occupational Safety and Health Administration

                 North American Excavation Shoring Assoc.

What:    Colorado Trench Safety Summit

When:   Oct. 5, 2022

                  7 a.m.-4 p.m. MT

Where:  Adams County Fairgrounds

                 9755 Henderson Road

                 Brighton, CO 80601

Background: OSHA and NAXSA will host a Colorado Trench Safety Summit in a joint effort to stem a rise in the number of trenching fatalities in the state. The summit will raise awareness about the hazards associated with trenching and excavation work through classroom training, roundtable discussions and live demonstrations. The event is free and registration is required.

Since early 2021, seven trenching-related fatalities have been reported in Colorado, and 22 workers have died in the U.S. in related incidents in the first six months of 2022. In most cases, the workers were victims of trench and excavation cave-ins. Safety experts estimate that one cubic yard of soil can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, making it difficult, if not impossible, to escape or survive a trench collapse.