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SAFETY MOMENT, JULY 16

A competent person checks it every day

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Safety moment, July 16

A competent person checks it every day

Soil is heavy, and a trench wall can give way with little or no warning. A cave-in can bury or crush a worker before they can react, and a coworker who jumps in to help can be caught by the next collapse. These rules keep the walls off people and give everyone a way out.

SAFETY MOMENT

July 16

The hazard

Soil is heavy, and a trench wall can give way with little or no warning. A cave-in can bury or crush a worker before they can react, and a coworker who jumps in to help can be caught by the next collapse. These rules keep the walls off people and give everyone a way out.

The action

When workers will be exposed, a competent person must inspect the excavation, nearby areas and protective systems daily before work, as needed during the shift, and after every rainstorm or other hazard-increasing event. A competent person can spot existing and predictable hazards and is authorized to fix them promptly (29 CFR 1926.650(b)). If they find signs of a possible cave-in or other hazards, exposed workers must be removed until it is safe (29 CFR 1926.651(k)(2)). If you see cracks, bulging walls or water seeping in, get out and tell them. (29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1))

ASK THE CREW

Who is our competent person today, and what do they check?

From the talk: Trenching and excavation. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.

HOW TO USE IT

How to give a safety moment

  1. Gather the crew where they work, before the shift or the meeting starts. Read the hazard out loud.
  2. Ask the question and let two or three people answer. What they say about their own work counts for more than what you read.
  3. Name the action and point to one place on today's job where it applies, so everyone knows what to do differently.
  4. Write the date and the names on a sign-in sheet.

A safety moment is short and does not replace the full talk. When you want to go through a topic with the crew, pick a free toolbox talk.

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