Excavation and Trench Safety

Contractors Machinery

Trench fatalities and injuries pose serious risk in construction, so trench safety must be a top-priority at any jobsite. Statistics from the Bureau of Labor show that an average of 25 workers are tragically killed in trench-related accidents each year, with cave-ins being responsible for 75% of these unfortunate, but preventable deaths. Trench collapses cause hundreds of worker injuries each year, all equally preventable.

With our Contractor’s Machinery, Inc. CASE and TORO trench equipment, you can avoid the dangers of collapses and other trench-related worksite incidents.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), here are some other proven and effective ways of preventing hazards during trench and excavation related work:

  • Slope it: Sloping and benching – Slope or bench trench walls by cutting back the wall at an angle inclined away from the excavation. With this protective system, workers can prevent a cave-in and save lives.
  • Shore it: Hydraulic Shoring – Shore trench walls by installing aluminum hydraulic or other types of supports to prevent soil movement or cave-in.
  • Shield it: Protective Shielding – Shield trench walls by using trench boxes or other types of supports to prevent soil cave-ins.

Designing a protective system like the suggestions listed above can be complex because you must consider many factors: soil classification, depth of cut, water content of soil, changes in weather or climate, surcharge loads and other operations in the area. If you have any questions about any of our products and what equipment is best to maintain trench safety, feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to help!

Recommended CASE and TORO equipment for excavation and trench projects:

CASE SKID STEER LOADERS

CASE skid steers have powered jobsites throughout the world for more than 50 years. Always intuitive. Always easy to operate. Control options, lift geometries, size classes and horsepower ranges for every type of owner and application. From simple to fully loaded, CASE is your home for skid steer loaders.

TORO WALK-BEHIND TRENCHERS

Toro TRX walk-behind trenchers are now more efficient and powerful than ever. We’ve improved our lineup with two new models that combine the groundbreaking maneuverability the TRX walk-behind trencher is known for with even better performance and serviceability.

CASE MINI EXCAVATORS

CASE mini excavators are the most operator-friendly with a lineup of seven Tier 4 Final models that range from 1.7 to 7 metric tons.

CASE MIDI-EXCAVATORS

The optimized system on these smaller but mighty midi excavators produces 9% more hydraulic power and 3% more breakout force than previous generations. Better digging power and superior responsiveness.

CASE FULL SIZE EXCAVATORS

Powered by a Tier 4 Final engine, CASE full size excavators provide up to 8% better fuel efficiency. A rugged new arm design and the new electronically controlled hydraulic pump help increase cycle times by as much as 12% and deliver up to 6% greater breakout force. Even the undercarriage is tougher, and the redesigned cab offers adjustable comfort like never before. Whether your business is pipeline construction, aggregate production or road building, the CASE D Series Excavator sets a new standard for performance and profitability.

Material Handler and Larger sizes available up to 178,000 lb.

Digging one of these for your next project? Request a free quote.