When it comes to the protection of employees working underground, nothing does a better job than trench shoring equipment. However, although contractors understand how dangerous it is to work below ground, few take the time to select trench shoring equipment that matches their specific needs. Such a move can expose workers to the risk of fatalities and the contractor to unending lawsuits. This article discusses the key areas to look at when selecting trench shoring equipment.

Ease of Installation

Different manufacturers produce trench shoring equipment with different installation systems. Therefore, the ease with which you install the equipment has a significant impact on several things. For instance, trench shoring projects such as data cable installations or drainage repairs are disruptive and can affect normal operations around a site. As such, the faster workers can set up the trench shoring equipment, the quicker day-to-day operations can resume. Therefore, easy-to-install trench shoring equipment saves time and causes minimal disruption to the surrounding environment. If the equipment is a rental, you do not need an outside installer and, most importantly, you can return easy-to-install hardware in good time, thereby saving on rental costs.

Lightweight Equipment

Trench shoring equipment can be made from various materials. While some are made from steel, others are produced from aluminium and wood. The average contractor might think that the heavier the trench shoring equipment, the more protection offered. However, nothing could be further from the truth because some lightweight trench shoring equipment provides superior protection compared to traditionally heavy equipment. One significant advantage with light trench shoring equipment is that you do not need large machinery to transport and install. It goes a long way in saving fuel costs that would have otherwise been incurred by using large machinery. If you are working on a small project, you only need a few trench shoring pieces which a few workers can handle, so there's no need for cranes or sophisticated installation machinery.   

Crew Comfort

Construction crews work with different trench shoring equipment in the field. Therefore, every crew member is comfortable with one or two trench shoring systems, and this is vital when selecting trench shoring equipment. If you buy or rent a system based on features and not your crew's familiarity with the system, then you may be exposing staffs to accidents. While new technology in trench shoring equipment is essential, it does not account for much if your employees don't understand the system. Therefore, ensure workers can work with the trench shoring system before considering anything else.

For more information, you can contact companies like GSS Hire.