MD OSHA (MOSH) News

Trench Safety: Slope Shore Shield Methods

OSHA's trench safety guidance emphasizes three protective methods—sloping or benching trench walls, shoring with supports, or shielding with trench boxes—to prevent cave-ins, the leading cause of worker fatalities in excavation work. The guidance instructs employers to ensure safe entry and exit, keep materials away from trench edges, monitor for standing water and atmospheric hazards, and verify proper inspection before any worker enters a trench. Applicable standards include 29 CFR 1926.650, 29 CFR 1926.651, and 29 CFR 1926.652.

Focus Four Campaign 2025 Addresses Construction Fatal Four Hazards

MD OSHA has launched its 2025 Focus Four Campaign running March through June, targeting construction industry hazards including falls, struck-by incidents, caught-in/between hazards, and electrocutions. The campaign delivers toolbox talks, onsite visits, and hands-on educational sessions as part of a multi-agency effort with OSHA and construction industry partners. According to BLS data, 1,075 construction worker deaths occurred in 2023, representing 20% of all 5,283 worker fatalities, with the 'Fatal Four' hazards accounting for 56% of construction deaths.

Bird Flu Prevention Guidance for Maryland Workers

The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MOSH) published a resource page consolidating guidance on avian influenza (bird flu) prevention for Maryland workers. The page describes how bird flu spreads from infected birds to humans through direct contact, contaminated environments, or intermediate animal hosts, and links to federal resources from OSHA, CDC, USDA, and other agencies covering worker protection, PPE, and outbreak response.