July 14, 2004—The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has added a Safety and Health Topic page to its Web site, on the hazards involved in Trenching and Excavation. The site includes links to a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH; related NIOSH publications, Updates, and Safety and Health Topic pages; FACE Reports; and other resources.
According to NIOSH, trenching and excavation hazards resulted in at least 542 construction fatalities between 1992 and 2001, or 54 deaths annually. Soil stability, soil type, changes in weather, and unshored trench walls all can contribute to trench cave-ins. Hazards associated with trench work and excavation are recognized and preventable, yet injuries and fatalities associated with these hazards continue to occur. Regulations and consensus standards describe engineering controls, protective equipment, and safe work practices to minimize hazards for workers during trench work and excavations.
