Lawrence Halprin Authored the VPPPA Leader Magazine Article on CSHOs Conducting Trench Inspections

Keller and Heckman Partner Lawrence Halprin authored the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association’s (VPPPA) Winter 2023 issue of the Leader Magazine article, “Could OSHA Do More to Protect CSHOs Conducting Trench Inspections?”, published on March 2, 2023. Particularly in light of the reported increase in both trench-related fatalities and OSHA enforcement efforts, this article suggests OSHA needs to provide its inspectors with safer technology and practices to avoid exposing its inspectors to the unsafe trench conditions they are investigating. Lawrence writes, “While the greatest risk of trenching activities is clearly to employees who enter the trench, there is also a significant risk to personnel who must access the top surface of the ground at the edge of the trench, including OSHA inspectors ([Certified Safety & Health Officials] “CSHOs”).” He concludes the article by mentioning, “it appears that OSHA could do more to protect the safety of its CSHOs conducting excavation inspections.”

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