Unprotected trenches are among the most dangerous hazards a construction worker can face; between 2003 and 2011, more than 200 workers have been killed in trench cave-ins. Hundreds more have been seriously injured. To help combat this problem, OSHA has produced a number of guidance documents aimed at keeping construction firms in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651 and 1926.652 (as well as their counterparts from state-approved plans).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries. Overall, these injuries cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year. The good news is that by evaluating your existing administrative and engineering controls and making necessary changes, you can reduce the risk of back injuries due to lifting—the cause of three out of every four occupational back injuries.

An arc flash is an electrical breakdown where electric current jumps through an air gap between conductors. With a flash of bright light, intense radiant heat and loud noise, an arc flash explosion can produce a temperature of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Both the heat and the energy can cause substantial damage to equipment, fire or severe injury or death.