NUCA’s 2nd Annual National TSSD Set for June 19-24
NUCA’s first TSSD in 2016 was a great success. Twenty-eight companies participated, reaching more than 2,000 workers on more than 170 worksites.
NUCA is requesting all contractors, municipalities, military and others involved with trenching operations to hold a Trench Safety Stand Down (TSSD) during the week of June 19-24. OSHA recently reported that fatalities caused by cave-ins and other trenching hazards doubled between 2015 and 2016, making it even more important to take the time to discuss with your employees the hazards associated with trenches to prevent injuries and fatalities. Raising awareness of these hazards is critical, so NUCA hopes that all companies involved in excavation operations, whether a member or not, will participate in this Stand Down.
What Is a Safety Stand Down?
A Safety Stand Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees and others about safety. These Stand Downs will focus on trench/excavation hazards and reinforce the importance of using trench protective systems and protecting workers from trenching hazards.
Stand Down Goals
The goal is to reach out to as many workers who work in and around trenches and excavations as possible to provide them with information about current excavation requirements and safety procedures for working in trenches/excavations. If we can reach enough workers, we can reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries that occur each year.
Who Can Participate?
Anyone and everyone involved in trenching operations should participate. Possible participants include companies of all sizes: utility construction, residential, highway construction, plumbers, military, unions, associations and safety equipment manufacturers.
How to Conduct a Safety Stand Down?
Companies will conduct a TSSD by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity to draw attention to the specific hazards related to working in and around trenches/excavations. Visit www.nuca.com/tssd and download a completion form (to be returned to NUCA), instructions and materials to use for the TSSD.
Recognition of Participation
Please take pictures and tweet your participation to @NUCA_National and use the hashtag #TSSD2017. Companies should complete a TSSD Completion Form, which can be downloaded from the NUCA website, and return it with pictures to nuca@nuca.com. NUCA will collect company names, how many employees participated, when it was held and how companies participated (toolbox talk, showing a trench safety DVD, etc.). NUCA will publish the names of all companies that held a TSSD. NUCA will also provide a Certificate of Participation, as well as hard hat stickers for all employees who participated.
Check out more NUCA articles here. Tags: April 2017 Print Issue, NUCA, Trench Safety Stand Down
