Cal U's maintenance crew brushes up on OSHA standards.
Gary Coldren, a Cal U maintenance staff member, and Morgan Harney, health and safety associate with ProTect-All Solutions, assemble a modular trench box.
Members of Cal U’s maintenance department work behind the scenes to keep the campus running smoothly.
Occasionally, they must work underground, too.
With their safety in mind, Cal U invited John Hyman and alumnus Dave Piontek, from the West Virginia University Extension Service’s OSHA Education Center, to discuss best practices in excavation, trenching and soil mechanics.
The three-day training on Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards included instruction on using a trench box to stabilize the walls of an excavation site.
“We want to be sure our employees are trained in best practices,” said Brian Cunningham, director of environmental health and safety for the University, who organized and participated in the training along with eight maintenance staff.
“It’s important for workers to understand the hazards of trench work and how to protect themselves,” Hyman said.