First there was the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. Now, contractors are being asked to stop work at their trenching operations in order to raise awareness of trenching and excavation hazards.

National Trench Safety Stand-Down is set for the week of June 19-24. The campaign, sponsored by the National Utility Contractors Association and the Safety Ambassadors Club with support from OSHA, encourages contractors, municipalities, the military and others involved in trenching operations to temporarily stop work and offer workers education and training about trenching hazards.

According to the latest available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fatality rate in the U.S. for excavation work is 112 percent higher than in general construction. A trench collapse can happen in mere moments and bury workers under tons of dirt.

Visit the Stand-Down website to learn how you can stand-down this month to save lives.