Illinois e-News Release

Paul Cicchini 217-785-1719

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL), its Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA) and the On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program (On-Site) are joining industry experts to recognize the week of June 19th – 23rd as the 2023 Trench Safety Stand Down.

The National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) have also designated June as Trench Safety Month, coinciding with June’s designation as National Safety Month.

Trenching and/or excavation can be extremely dangerous, or even deadly, if done without the proper education, training, safety techniques, and implementation.

In January, a worker in Illinois was in an unprotected trench replacing a water main when the trench collapsed under the weight of the excavator used to dig the trench. The excavator bucket shifted and struck the worker causing significant internal injuries. IL OSHA investigated the incident, and the employer was cited for multiple violations of the Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Act.

“We encourage employers to implement the ‘start work’ concept approach when excavating,” said IL OSHA Chief Erik Kambarian. “While most workers are familiar with having the ability to stop work after it has already started, ‘start work’ ensures the appropriate controls are in place prior to putting a worker in a trench. Anyone on-site with concerns should have the ability to speak up and be heard.”

There are five pillars to trench safety:

• Ensure there's a safe way to enter and exit

• Ensure trenches have cave-in protection

• Look for standing water and test if atmospheric hazards are or may be present

• Keep materials away from the edge of the trench

• Never enter a trench unless it has been properly inspected by a competent person

For more information on federal OSHA's Trenching and Excavation requirements, click here.

If you have questions about the On-Site consultation program, you can call 800-972- 4216, send an email to [email protected] or click here.