“Demo Day” Showcases Excavation Safety Equipment
As part of June’s Trench Safety Month, the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) participated in “OSHA Demo Day,” an exhibition showcasing trench and excavation construction practices for representatives of the federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“OSHA Demo Day” was conducted June 2 at a large construction industry training site in Hyattsville, Maryland, and featured six demonstration stations. These stations included ones for utility locating and marking, trenchless horizontal directional drilling (HDD) operations, basic trench safety for contractors, an in-depth demonstration of trench safety equipment including steel trench boxes and hydraulic shoring, vacuum excavation techniques and equipment, and contractor safety programs.
Several NUCA National Partners and contractor members participated in the event, which drew attendees from the Washington, D.C. area. Ditch Witch, Sunbelt Rentals, TRUVAC, United Rentals, Vermeer and MV Solutions featured their trench safety and excavation equipment, while NUCA of Metro Washington D.C. members such as Aaron Enterprises, Garney Construction, and B.F. Joy provided personnel and their industry expertise.
Other construction industry stakeholders such as the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Common Ground Alliance, Distribution Contractors Association, and the Associated General Contractors of America joined with NUCA to host this event and explain their commitment to trench and excavation safety at their member’s jobsites.
June is Trench Safety Month for the utility construction industry. NUCA, OSHA, and United Rentals are sponsoring the industry’s sixth annual Trench Safety Stand Down Week during June 20-24, 2022.
In 2021, more than 22,000 industry employees and first responders at over 2,200 jobsites, from 340 organizations, took part in NUCA’s industry-wide stand down. During these company events, our industry’s employees learned the importance of being safe around jobsite excavations and trenches from peers and experts alike, utilizing the same equipment and techniques demonstrated at today’s “OSHA Demo Day.”
NUCA and the American utility construction industry members seek out every measure possible to reduce risks on our jobsites, which we all know can be a dangerous place to work if someone is unaware of its hazards. Tags: NUCA, Safety