Equipment rental company United Rentals will hold a series of virtual trench safety educational sessions that support the National Utility Contractors Association’s 2023 Trench Safety Stand Down this week. The free training events will raise awareness about trench and excavation practices to help contractors and utilities improve worksite productivity and keep workers safe.

Trench Safety Stand Down is a North American initiative focused on trench and excavation hazards and reinforcing the importance of using trench protective systems and protecting workers from trenching hazards. The initiative encourages companies to conduct and/or participate in safety activities that draw attention to the specific hazards related to working in and around trenches and excavations.

“Nothing is more important than safety on the worksite,” TJ Bryson, trench safety region sales and marketing director at United Rentals, said. “At United Rentals, we believe compliance with trench safety regulations and adhering to best practices can help drive productivity. With expert knowledge and smart solutions, we can help jobsite teams stay safe without sacrificing efficiency. Our Trench Safety Stand Down training series provides an excellent learning opportunity for companies to educate their workers on safe, productive trench and excavation practices.”

Registration for the training sessions is available here. The topics and schedule for the training sessions are as follows:

• Rethinking Trench Safety: June 20 at 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT

This session will explore how companies can determine how misinterpretations regarding trench safety have developed and what to do to correct them.

• A Safe Approach to Underground Utility Obstructions: June 22 at 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.

Attendees for this session will hear an overview of regulations and approaches to protect workers and underground installations when digging near existing utilities. During the session, experts will explore protective systems that can help maintain productivity and safety when exposing, protecting and working around utilities in an excavation.