PhD-AECM Doctoral Proposal Presentation: Shalini Priyadarshini
Title: SETU — Safety in Excavation and Trenching for yoU: A training and decision-making support tool for worker safety in excavation and trenching operations in construction
Name: Shalini Priyadarshini, Ph.D. candidate in Architecture–Engineering–Construction Management (PhD-AECM)
Date: Friday, December 12, 2025
Time: 2:00-4:00pm ET
Location: A7E Conference Room, Porter Hall & Zoom
Committee Members:
Erica Cochran Hameen, Ph.D., Assoc. AIA, NOMA, LEED AP
Associate Professor
School of Architecture
Carnegie Mellon University
Burcu Akinci, Ph.D.
Department Head and Hamerschlag University Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
Shailendra Singh, Ph.D., MBA, CHMM
Director of Environmental Health and Safety
University of Florida
Committee Advisor:
John Mendeloff, Ph.D.
Abstract:
Trenching and excavation are important and indispensable activities on construction projects. However, they are recognized as some of the most hazardous construction jobs and present significant risks that can lead to injuries and deaths. An OSHA study states that fatality rates for trenching are 112% higher than that of the construction industry jobs. This Ph.D. research focuses on addressing the safety risks associated with trenching and excavation in construction, activities that are essential yet inherently dangerous.
This research uses a mixed methods framework to understand reasons for the limited adoption of proven protective systems in the construction industry and investigates the underlying reasons for this reluctance. The Ph.D. research methodology includes five key components and associated deliverables:
- A comprehensive literature review covering safety in construction, excavation and trenching deaths, worker training for safety, the OSHA standards for excavation and trenching, guidelines from agencies like NIOSH and CDC, and strategies aimed at improving worker safety during construction activities.
- Creating two separate databases for:
- Fatalities in excavation and trenching (2009-2021), and
- Severe injuries in excavation and trenching (2015-2021) using publicly available data from OSHA.
- Industry surveys to explore challenges in improving worker safety during excavation and trenching activities and to obtain on-the-ground feedback on desired features for training and educational tools and programs.
- Data analysis and reporting for:
- Fatalities and severe injuries in excavation and trenching
- Industry surveys
- Creating and disseminating an innovative new workforce training and decision-making support tool aimed to improve worker safety in excavation and trenching.
The final deliverable of this Ph.D. research is a workforce training and decision-making support tool in the form of a web-based application aimed to improve construction worker safety in excavation and trenching. The application — Safety in Excavation and Trenching for yoU (SETU) — is a free, platform independent tool designed to improve worker safety by 1) making information about trenching safety available on handheld mobile devices, 2) breaking down cognitively complex safety ideas and intricate jargon into everyday language, 3) offering an intuitive, easy to use interface requiring no additional training for adoption, and 4) providing decision-making support for the protection systems with only a few inputs from the user. SETU aims to improve access to information about hazards, soil classification and soil testing, and protection systems. SETU allows the user to choose the most appropriate protection system to improve safety and is available in both English and Spanish.
By providing easy, accessible and understandable safety training, this Ph.D. research aims to improve the adoption of work safety practices including the use of proven protection systems. The research aims to make a positive impact on one of the leading causes of construction fatalities and contribute to safer construction site practices.