Excavation cave-ins cause serious and often fatal injuries to workers in the United States. The following references aid in recognizing and evaluating trenching and excavation hazards in the workplace.

• Working Outdoors in Warm Climates. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005, September), 26 KB PDF, 2 pages.
• Preventing Deaths and Injuries From Excavation Cave-Ins. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (1997, March 11). Provides several case reports, OSHA standards that apply to these cases, and recommended courses of action.
• Aurora OSHA Construction News. US Department of Labor (DOL), North Aurora, IL Area Office. 3.2 (2002, Fall), 454 KB PDF, 6 pages. Provides a brief article discussing trenching contractors not in compliance with the trenching standards.
• Overview for Subpart P Excavations. OSHA Construction Resource Manual. Discusses proper procedure and safe practices in excavation.
• The 100 Most Frequently Cited OSHA Construction Standards in 1991: A Guide for the Abatement of the Top 25 Associated Physical Hazards. OSHA Publication, (1995, March). Also available as a 2.2 MB PDF, 100 pages. Helps employers and employees identify and correct hazards related to the most frequently cited OSHA standards found on construction sites throughout the United States. PPE-related standards were found at the number 2, 7, and 19 positions on this list of 100.
• Analysis of Construction Fatalities - The OSHA DataBase 1985-1989. OSHA, (1990, November). Contains valuable statistics concerning excavation and trenching related accidents.
• Construction - Pocket Guide. OSHA Publication 3252, (2005). Also available as a 285 KB PDF, 36 pages.