EPCC Hosts Annual Excavation Safety Festival at Mission del Paso Campus
Photo courtesy of El Paso Community College
El Paso Community College’s Risk Management Institute hosted the annual Excavation Safety Festival at the Mission del Paso Campus, bringing together students, workers, employers, industry partners, emergency responders and safety professionals for hands-on safety education.
The free event featured live demonstrations designed to show the dangers associated with excavation work and help prevent injuries and fatalities in the construction and utility industries. Attendees watched simulations of a trench collapse, pipeline ruptures, electrical contact incidents and a power-line bucket rescue.
The festival also included classroom simulator demonstrations and a presentation from the El Paso Fire Department Fire STAR (Shock Trauma Air Rescue) Helicopter. Participants had the opportunity to meet the helicopter’s pilots, take part in hands-on activities and observe real-time emergency response drills.
Training sessions led by industry experts focused on trench safety, emergency response and hazard identification. The event also included mariachi, vendors, food, games and door prizes.
“Every worker deserves to go home safely at the end of the day, and that’s why we have this event,” Cecy Maurer, EPCC Risk Management Institute coordinator, said. “Many workplace incidents are preventable when workers receive proper training and understand the risks associated with their jobs.”
The festival provided networking opportunities for construction contractors, municipalities, utility and pipeline operators, emergency responders, safety professionals, employers and workers from West Texas and Southern New Mexico. Organizers also shared information about Texas and New Mexico’s “call before you dig” laws.
The event was hosted by EPCC’s Risk Management Institute in partnership with the El Paso Association of Contractors and other industry and community partners, including Jordan Foster Construction, SmithCo., Eagle Construction and Apache Barricade & Sign.
The EPCC Risk Management Institute trains an average of 4,500 workers each year and offers free classes on digging safety and other workplace safety topics. More information is available through the EPCC Risk Management Institute.