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Trust trainers warn trenching is high-risk; urge stop‑work authority and simple protections
Summary
Presenters from the Utah Local Governments Trust told a virtual training that trench collapses are a leading cause of severe injuries in public‑works excavation and reviewed specific prevention steps including stop‑work authority, competent‑person inspections, spoil‑pile placement, ladder access and the use of shields or sloping.
Presenters at a Utah Local Governments Trust webinar on trench safety said trench collapses are a major cause of construction fatalities and urged employees to stop work if a trench appears unsafe.
Mike, a presenter with the Utah Local Governments Trust, told attendees, “When in doubt, get out.” He said everyone on a worksite should have stop‑work authority and that a competent person must inspect trenches daily and whenever conditions change.
The trainers said excavation work is uniquely dangerous. Mike cited national figures during the session, saying “1 out of every 5 workplace fatalities is a construction worker” and that excavation fatalities are “112 percent higher than in general construction.” Jason, a presenter with the Utah Local Governments Trust, advised trainees to err on the side of caution: “Call everything type C, and we're covered and we're safe.”
Why it matters: Trench collapses can apply enormous, often fatal…
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