all its initiatives.“We advocate for the training and safe use of excavation and shoring,” McKee says. “The goal is simple but critical: we want to prevent anyone from being killed in trenches.” However, McKee is quick to point out that while NAXSA may appear small in membership size, its reach extends far beyond that. With just one staff member—the Executive Director herself—the association relies heavily on its members to drive education initiatives and serve as the heartbeat of its operations. “Our members are very active in the whole process because we are very small,” she emphasizes. This unique model allows NAXSA to focus its energies where they matter most: directly impacting worker safety on the ground. McKee adds that NAXSA collaborates closely with government bodies like OSHA, operating within an alliance to amplify education on trench safety across the industry. Ryan Jaffe, NAXSA’s president, builds on this sentiment. He points out that the association’s modest size doesn’t reflect its true influence. “We might be around 50 company members, but through the Hundreds of branches nationwide, our expertise in shoring, supply, engineering, and manufacturing reaches every corner of the country,” he says. This seemingly small association, through its expansive network, wields considerable authority in its advocacy for best practices in trench safety. Jaffe highlights the importance of this expert-driven approach: “We are experts in our field, and we want to give that expertise to the people we serve—our customers, OSHA, and other organizations—so that their jobs run efficiently and safely.” Kevin Malloy, Immediate Past President and CoFounder of NAXSA, offers a practical perspective on how far-reaching NAXSA’s influence is.“One of our founding members is United Rentals, the largest rental company in the world. They have about a few hundred branches just in their trench safety division alone, with thousands of employees,” he explains.The presence of such large players in the association amplifies NAXSA’s ability to spread its message. Malloy’s company may be smaller and family-owned, but alongside large national brands, it plays an equally crucial role in furthering the association’s primary objective: reducing trench collapses and saving lives. SAFETY, LIABILITY, AND THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY As NAXSA continues to make strides in improving trench safety across North America, its focus on reducing fatalities and injuries has become a key 23 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 11 NORTH AMERICAN EXCAVATION SHORING ASSOCIATION
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