CGA Joins OSHA Alliance to Combat Excavation and Trenching Safety Hazards
Last week, CGA joined several organizations in signing an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) aimed at improving the health and safety standards during trenching, excavation, and shoring. The agreement, Partners for Safe Trenching and Excavation Operations Alliance, unites trade groups, unions and the Department of Labor to protect workers from hazards by improving trenching and excavation practices.
“The Common Ground Alliance is proud to be a member of this group driving the effort to enhance key safety practices and programs around excavation,” said CGA President and CEO Sarah Magruder Lyle. “CGA’s member-driven mission is to protect utility and construction workers and the buried facilities around which they operate. We look forward to partnering with OSHA and the other members of the alliance to keep workers safe as they excavate, trench and shore to build and maintain the infrastructure Americans depend on every day.”
During this two-year agreement, CGA will work alongside OSHA and partner organizations including the North American Excavation Shoring Association (NAXSA), Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), Associated General Contractors (AGC), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) and Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) to address the most pertinent safety issues facing the construction industry.
The initiative will focus on combating four of the leading hazards facing the construction industry, including falls, caught-in or caught-between, struck-by objects and electrocution. To address these challenges, the alliance will develop and deploy a variety of resources, including safety articles, worksite tours, educational training sessions featuring best practices in trenching and excavation, and more, all in multiple languages to ensure employees of all backgrounds can access this potentially life-saving information. The partnership will also encourage stakeholders to promote workplace equity and disseminate valuable worker safety and health information to achieve a wide-reaching impact on workers in the industry.
CGA is eager to be part of this partnership and share our damage prevention expertise, helping to equip industry stakeholders with the necessary knowledge to establish safety and health programs within their own organizations and ensure adherence to the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
As we strive toward our industry goal of reducing damages by 50% by 2028, we’re grateful for alliances like these that call attention to key safety challenges on the jobsite and make a positive impact on the safety of valued industry professionals. Learn more about the Partners for Safe Trenching and Excavation Operations Alliance here.