person training is vital to protecting workers, and sometimes even adjacent structures, like buildings near a dig site.”A nearby building can easily collapse along with the trench itself without proper shoring. Jaffe, too, highlights how NAXSA has stepped up its outreach. “It’s about awareness,” he says, pointing to the growth of the Trench Safety Summits and other educational initiatives like Shore Safety Week, which began two years ago. Shore-Up For Safety Week allows NAXSA members to engage with their customers directly, providing everything from quick 15-minute toolbox talks to full-day in-person training sessions. “It’s just another outreach that our members are offering to keep the industry safe,” Jaffe explains, underlining the association’s broader mission. BUILDING MOMENTUM: GROWING SAFETY INITIATIVES AND STRENGTHENING ALLIANCES As NAXSA looks ahead, its key initiatives for the next 18 months are focused on expanding both outreach and membership while solidifying its role as the goto resource for trench safety. McKee outlines several optimistically. With attendees ranging from 300 to 500 people, these summits serve as a vital platform for educating contractors, emergency personnel, and other key players in the excavation field. Malloy emphasizes the unique role the summits play. “The biggest part of our mission is getting the word out and educating people,” he states. Misconceptions about the cost of shoring equipment often cloud the decision-making process, especially among contractors in rural areas who may have never seen a trench cave-in.“Most contractors, when they don’t use shoring, it’s not because they’re trying to save money,” Malloy clarifies.“They’re just unaware of the risks because they’ve been digging trenches all their lives without an issue.” The focus on education extends beyond the summits. NAXSA members also provide thousands of hours of “competent person” training annually.These sessions equip contractors with the skills they need to comply with OSHA regulations, which require that a trained, knowledgeable individual be present on job sites to identify potential hazards and make necessary adjustments. As Malloy notes, “This competent 28 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 11
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