Key Takeaways
- June is Trench Safety Month. Trench collapse deaths fell from 39 in 2022 to 13 in 2024, then rose to 18 in 2025, a reminder that progress can slip.
- Heat becomes a daily hazard in June. Construction makes up about 7% of the U.S. workforce but accounted for roughly a third of heat-related worker deaths in 2023.
- Summer heat makes confined spaces more dangerous, since temperatures inside vaults, tanks, and crawlspaces can climb well past the outdoor temperature.
- Hauling equipment between sites brings its own risks, from hitching and chains to load securement and loading ramps.
- About 1 in 5 U.S. lightning deaths happen on the job, and construction workers are among those at highest risk.
Why June Safety Topics Matter as Summer Arrives
June is National Safety Month, led by the National Safety Council, and it lands right as summer work kicks into gear. Crews are digging, hauling, and working longer days in rising heat. The hazards that come with that shift can catch even experienced crews off guard, especially in the first hot weeks of the season.
These June safety topics focus on the hazards that tend to climb in early summer:
- Trench collapses during peak excavation season
- Heat illness as temperatures climb
- Confined spaces that turn dangerous in summer heat
- Equipment hauling and trailer safety
- Lightning during summer storms
Each section includes talking points for toolbox talks and morning huddles, plus related talks from our toolbox talk library.
Trench Safety and the Trench Safety Stand Down
The National Utility Contractors Association has declared June Trench Safety Month, and it holds its annual Trench Safety Stand Down in mid-June with support from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Thousands of crews pause work during the week for training, toolbox talks, and trench rescue demonstrations.
The numbers show why it matters. Trench collapse deaths peaked at 39 in 2022, then fell to 15 in 2023 and 13 in 2024 after stepped-up enforcement and industry outreach. They rose again to 18 in 2025. A cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a small car, so even a shallow collapse can trap or crush a worker in seconds.
OSHA’s excavation standards, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, set the rules that keep trench walls from coming down on workers. Five of them are worth covering at every trench job:
- Protective systems at 5 feet. Trenches 5 feet deep or more need sloping, shoring, or a trench box, unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock. Trenches 20 feet or deeper need a protective system designed by a registered professional engineer.
- A way out within 25 feet. Trenches 4 feet deep or more need a ladder, ramp, or stairway within 25 feet of lateral travel for every worker.
- Spoil at least 2 feet back. Keep excavated soil, tools, and materials at least 2 feet from the edge.
- Daily inspections. A competent person needs to inspect the trench before each shift and again after rain, freeze-thaw cycles, or anything else that could change the soil.
- Air testing when needed. Test the atmosphere in trenches deeper than 4 feet where low oxygen or hazardous gases could build up, such as near landfills or gas lines.
Keep heavy equipment back from the edge, too. The weight and vibration of a loaded truck or excavator can push a trench wall past its limit.
Additional Reading
Heat Illness Prevention
June is when heat stops being an occasional concern and becomes a daily one on most jobsites. Construction tends to carry more of that risk than any other industry. Construction workers make up about 7% of the U.S. workforce but accounted for roughly a third of heat-related worker deaths in 2023, according to research from CPWR, The Center for Construction Research and Training.
The basics come down to what OSHA calls water, rest, and shade:
- Water: Keep cool drinking water close to the work, and encourage crews to drink about a cup every 15 to 20 minutes, even before they feel thirsty.
- Rest: Build in more frequent breaks as the heat index rises, and give crews time to cool down before they head back to heavy work.
- Shade: Set up shaded or air-conditioned break areas near the work, and move breaks there when the sun is strongest.
Crews also need to know how to tell when someone is in trouble. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can look similar at first, but heat stroke is a medical emergency:
| Heat exhaustion | Heat stroke | |
|---|---|---|
| Common signs | Heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, cool and clammy skin | Confusion, slurred speech, fainting or seizures, very high body temperature, hot skin that may be dry or sweating |
| What to do | Move the worker to a cooler spot, give water, loosen clothing, and apply cool, wet cloths. Get medical care if symptoms get worse or don’t improve. | Call 911 right away. Cool the worker as fast as possible with cold water, ice, or wet cloths, and stay with them until help arrives. |
Train foremen to watch for these signs on every crew, and make it normal for workers to speak up when they or a coworker start feeling off. A buddy system works well here, since people with heat illness often don’t recognize it in themselves.
Additional Reading
Confined Spaces in Summer Heat
Summer work often sends crews into utility vaults, manholes, tanks, crawlspaces, pits, and attic spaces. Those spaces can be dangerous any time of year, but heat and poor airflow make them worse in June. OSHA’s construction standard for confined spaces, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA, requires employers to identify these spaces before work starts and to control the hazards inside them.
Heat builds fast
A closed vault or attic can get much hotter than the air outside, and there’s little room to cool off. A worker who would be fine on the deck can overheat much faster inside a confined space. Plan shorter entries, rotate workers, and ventilate the space before and during the work.
The air can change without warning
Low oxygen, carbon monoxide from nearby engines or generators, and gases like hydrogen sulfide can build up in spaces with poor airflow, and many of them can’t be seen or smelled. Test the atmosphere before anyone enters, and keep monitoring while workers are inside. Never run gas-powered equipment in or near the opening without a plan to keep exhaust out.
Rescue needs a plan before entry
When something goes wrong in a confined space, coworkers often rush in to help and become victims themselves. Permit-required spaces need an attendant outside who stays in contact with the entrants and never goes in to attempt a rescue. Set up retrieval equipment and confirm who will perform a rescue before work begins, whether that’s a trained on-site team or a local service that can respond in time.
Additional Reading
Hauling Equipment and Trailer Safety
The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers holds National Trailer Safety Week in early June, and it’s a good fit for construction crews. Summer work often means moving skid steers, mini excavators, lifts, and materials between sites. A trailer that comes unhitched or a load that shifts can cause a serious crash on the road, and loading and unloading carry their own risks on site.
A quick pre-trip check catches most problems before the truck leaves the yard:
- Confirm the truck and hitch are rated for the trailer and the load.
- Latch and pin the coupler, and cross the safety chains under the tongue.
- Connect the breakaway cable to the tow vehicle, not to the chains.
- Test the trailer lights and brakes, and check tire pressure.
- Tie equipment down at multiple points with rated chains and binders, with buckets, blades, and booms lowered and locked.
Loading and unloading deserve the same attention. Set the trailer on firm, level ground, and use a spotter when driving equipment up or down the ramps. Keep everyone clear of the ramps and the sides of the trailer, since a machine that slips off can roll or tip with little warning. Recheck tie-downs after the first few miles of a trip, when loads tend to settle.
Additional Reading
Lightning
The National Weather Service holds Lightning Safety Awareness Week in late June, at the start of peak thunderstorm season. About 20% of U.S. lightning deaths from 2006 through 2025 happened during work-related activities, and construction is among the occupations at highest risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Crews working on roofs, steel, cranes, and open sites are especially exposed. Three rules cover most of it:
- Head in at the first thunder. If you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck.
- Choose real shelter. A fully enclosed building or a hard-topped vehicle with the windows up. Open sheds, scaffolds, and tents don’t protect anyone.
- Wait 30 minutes. Stay inside until 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back to work.
Make sure every crew knows who makes the call to stop work for weather and where to go when it happens.
Strengthen Your June Safety Program
June’s biggest hazards tend to come with paperwork attached: trench inspections, confined space permits, and heat plans. That paperwork only protects crews if it reflects what’s actually happening at the work.
Here’s what that looks like in practice, using Safety Mojo as an example:
- Reviewing confined space and excavation permits. Flex PTP is Safety Mojo’s digital Pre-Task Plan tool. It scores the quality of submitted PTPs and permit requests, so a safety manager can see which ones need a closer look. A confined space permit that doesn’t mention atmospheric testing or a rescue plan might score lower, flagging it before anyone goes in. If something goes wrong, that record can also show oversight was in place.
- Logging daily trench inspections from the edge. Conversational Forms lets a foreman or superintendent fill out inspections and observations by voice. A competent person can record the morning trench check, and the recheck after a storm, without heading back to the trailer.
- Pulling up the heat plan on the spot. Ask Mojo is a voice-activated assistant that searches a project’s own safety documents in English or Spanish. A foreman can check the project’s heat illness plan or confined space rescue procedures from the work area.
If you’re heading into the summer season and want to see how this works on your projects, book a demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important June safety topics for construction? Key June topics for construction crews include trench safety, heat illness prevention, confined spaces, equipment hauling and trailer safety, and lightning.
What safety observances are in June? June is National Safety Month and Trench Safety Month. It also includes the Trench Safety Stand Down in mid-June, National Trailer Safety Week in early June, and Lightning Safety Awareness Week in late June.
When does a trench need a protective system? OSHA requires a protective system, such as sloping, shoring, or a trench box, for trenches 5 feet deep or more unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock. Trenches 20 feet or deeper need a system designed by a registered professional engineer.
What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke? Heat exhaustion causes heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, and nausea, and usually improves with rest, water, and cooling. Heat stroke causes confusion, fainting, or seizures and a very high body temperature. It’s a medical emergency that calls for 911 and immediate cooling.
Why are confined spaces more dangerous in summer? Heat builds up quickly in enclosed spaces with poor airflow, so workers can overheat faster than they would outside. Poor ventilation can also let hazardous atmospheres build up, which is why OSHA requires identifying confined spaces and controlling their hazards before entry.
How long should crews wait after lightning before returning to work? The National Weather Service recommends staying in a fully enclosed building or hard-topped vehicle until 30 minutes after the last thunder.
