Page 21 - AR811 2022 issue 4

Equalized soil pressure.
Time preparing personnel reports.
Time attending depositions, hearings, and trials.
Time for additional training and supervision of new employees.
Time for mental stress and fatigue due to concern for worker family and friends.
And even with accidents that do not involve injury or death, the out-of-pocket costs for a contractor or utility can be significant:
Existing utilities and nearby structures can be damaged.
Time and money are required to re-excavate the trench to start all over again.
Why is safety so important in trenches and excavations?
• It’s the right thing to do.
• No one wants a co-worker or an employee injured or killed on the job.
• It’s good for business.
• It improves employee morale.
• It helps attract employees.
• It helps better control direct and indirect costs.
• It’s the law! Employers have a legal obligation to provide a safe workplace for all employees.
Unstable soil with lateral pressure.
Resulting cave -in.
2022, Issue 4 Arkansas 811 Magazine • 19