Catlettsburg Refinery Participates in Trench Safety Event

Business News

Catlettsburg,

trench safety event

MPC’s Catlettsburg refinery, in a collaborative effort with KY OSH, Federal OSHA, Ashland Fire Department, city of Ashland, Boyd County EMS and Ashland-Boyd County-Catlettsburg Office of Emergency Management, conducted a trench safety event as part of the National Trench Safety Stand Down. This event was held to raise public awareness of trench safety and allow members of the Refinery Emergency Response Team and Ashland Fire Department to train in trench rescue.

The Ashland Fire Department hosted the event at their Ashland Training Center. As part of the event, two trenches were dug by the city of Ashland to allow the MPC Safety Department to present an exhibit on both safe and hazardous trenching practices. The “safe” trench was used to demonstrate proper sloping, benching and shoring. Signs were posted so that participants could visualize the requirements to ensure a safe and compliant trench such as: identification of underground utilities by calling 811, spoil pile set back, water removal, air monitoring, ventilation, safe access/egress and daily competent person inspections. The “hazardous” trench was used to demonstrate the teamwork and tools required to safely retrieve a person trapped inside a trench.

MPC’s Emergency Response Team and the Ashland Fire Department worked together as a team to safely and successfully complete the trench rescue drill by rescuing a training mannequin. Danny Vernon with KY OSH and Bill Cochran, area director with Federal OSHA, commented in the drill critique meeting that the event was excellent. Vernon further stated that this is the type of partnership that he likes to see from Kentucky’s VPP Star sites such as MPC’s Catlettsburg Refinery.