Excavation for
Construction
Industries engaged in
excavation
General contractors
Highway and
street construction
contractors
Bridge
and tunnel
contractors
1a
Industries engaged in
excavation
Water,
sewer, pipeline
contractors
Communication and
power line
contractors
Concrete worker
and well drilling
contractors
1b
Hazards of excavation
work
Cave-ins
Underground
utilities
Materials/
equipment falling into
excavation sites
2a
Hazards of excavation
work
Struck-by accidents
Asphyxiation
Explosions
Falls
2b
Hazards of excavation
work
Electrocutions
Drowning
2c
Safety considerations
Excavationis one of the most
hazardous types of work in the
construction industry
Accidentsresult
from inadequate
planning
Buildsafety into
pre-bid planning
3a
Safety considerations
Plan
safety into the job.
Consider:
• Traffic
• Nearness of structures
and their
conditions
• Soil
3b
Safety considerations
Plan
safety into the job.
Consider:
• Surface and ground water
• Water table
• Overhead/
underground
utilities
• Weather
3c
Jobsite safety and
health programs
Establish
and maintain a safety
and health program for the
worksite
Provideadequate systematic
policies, procedures, practices
Recognize job-related
safety/health hazards
4a
Jobsite safety and
health programs
Safetyand health programs
should reflect the unique
characteristics of the jobsite
Proper
implementation depends
on cooperation among:
• supervisors
• employee groups
• individual employees
4b
Jobsite safety and
health programs
Supervisors must understand
his/her degree of
responsibility/authority
Get unions involved
4c
Locating utilities
Employers must determine the
estimated locations of utility
installations
Contact utility
companies before
starting excavation
Utility
owners must attempt to
find exact location of utilities
5a
Locating utilities
Proceed with caution if the
exact location of utilities
cannot be found
Use safe and
acceptable means to
locate exact locations of
installations
5b
Safety starts at the
surface
Surfaceencumbrances that
create hazards must be
removed/supported
Wear warning vests when near
traffic
Employees must be trained to
operate heavy equipment
6a
Safety starts at the
surface
Stayaway from loads being
handled by lifting/digging
equipment
Stayaway from vehicles being
loaded/unloaded
6b
Safety starts at the
surface
Usebarricades, hand or
mechanical signals, stop logs to
keep operators safe
6c
Safety starts at the
surface
Warnmobile equipment
operators about the edge of the
excavation site
Keepthe grade away from the
excavation site
6d
Safety starts at the
surface
Takecare when walking near
excavation sites
Barricade or cover
wells, pits, shafts
Use appropriate
PPE
6e
Protecting utilities
Exactlocations of utilities must
be determined
Utilities
must
be exposed
before digging
7a
Protecting utilities
Excavation sites must be
protected, supported to
safeguard
employees
Approach
utility lines as
if they are
land mines
7b
Employee access/egress
from excavations
Rampsmust be designed by a
competent person
Ramps must be structurally
sound and not create a tripping
hazard
Use
surface treatments on
ramps to prevent slipping
8a
Employee access/egress
from excavations
Trenches4 or more feet deep
need a safe means of egress
• Stairway
• Ladder
• Ramps
Meansof egress must be fixed
and secure
8b
Employee access/egress
from excavations
Means of egress must be within
25 feet of workers
Laddersmust extend a
minimum of 36 inches above the
landing
Usemetal ladders with caution
around utilities
8c
Hazardous atmospheres
Explosive
Flammable
Poisonous
Corrosive
9a
Hazardous atmospheres
Oxidizing
Irritating
Oxygen
deficient
Toxic
9b
Hazardous atmospheres
Operationsinside an excavation
can introduce a hazardous
atmosphere
Testthe air of excavation sites
more than 4 feet deep before
entering
9c
Hazardous atmospheres
Takeextra precautions when
the atmosphere has:
• less than 19.5 percent, or more
than 23.5 percent oxygen
• a combustible gas concentration
greater than 20 percent of the
lower flammable limit
• concentrations of hazardous
substances that exceed threshold
limit values 9d
Hazardous atmospheres
Conduct
all operations within
OSHA requirements
Regularly conduct atmospheric
testing if atmospheric hazards
are present
9e
Hazardous atmospheres
Wear
respiratory equipment
when required
Knowthe hazards of confined
spaces
9f
Emergency equipment
Emergency rescue equipment is
required when there is a risk for
hazardous atmospheres
Emergency rescue equipment
must be attended when in use
10a
Emergency equipment
Respirators must be suitable for
the type of exposure
Independentlifelines must be
provided when appropriate
10b
Water accumulation
hazards
Employees are prohibited from
entering excavation sites with
accumulated water unless
adequate protection has been
provided
11a
Water accumulation
hazards
Methods for controlling standing
water include:
• special support/shield systems
• water removal equipment
• safety harnesses and lifelines
11b
Water accumulation
hazards
Workersshould be prepared to
leave excavation sites if control
measures begin to fail
Use diversion ditches or dikes
to prevent surface water from
entering excavation sites
11c
Water accumulation
hazards
Competent person inspects
excavation sites subject to
water runoff
11d
Protect structures next to
excavation sites
Usesupport systems to keep
nearby buildings, walls stable
• Shoring
• Bracing
• Underpinning
12a
Protect structures next to
excavation sites
Excavation below the base of a
footing or retaining wall is
prohibited unless a support
system is provided
Excavations under
sidewalks/pavements are
prohibited unless a support
system is used
12b
Protect structures next to
excavation sites
Workersmust be prepared to
leave excavation sites if
support systems begin to fail
12c
Loose rock and soil as
hazards
Prevent loose rock/soil from
falling onto employees in
excavation sites
Usebarricades to
contain material
13a
Loose rock and soil as
hazards
Keep surface materials at least
2 feet from the edge of
excavation sites
Keep employees
off of sloped
surfaces at levels
above other
employees
13b
Protective systems
Excavationswhere employees
are exposed to cave-ins must be
protected by:
• sloping or benching
• support systems
• shield systems
• other protective
systems
14a
Protective systems
Protectivesystems are not
needed if the excavation is:
• made in stable rock
• less than 5 feet deep
Employersare free to choose
the most practical design
approach for a particular
circumstance
14b
Protective systems
Designinga protective system
is complex
Protectivesystems must be
able to resist all loads
A competent person must
examine protective systems’
materials
14c
Soil types
Classify the soil type:
• Stable rock
• Type A
• Type B
• Type C
15a
Sloping and benching
Slopethe excavation’s sides to
a safe angle
Slope angle not be steeper than
1 1/2 horizontal to 1 or less
vertical is safe
Soil
classification may not be
needed if sloped to this angle
16a
Sloping and benching
Otherslopes may be used for
other soil types
Benching systems excavate the
sides of an excavation to form a
series of horizontal levels or
steps
16b
Sloping and benching
Benching systems have vertical
or near-vertical surfaces
between levels
16c
Support, shield, and
protective systems
Shoring systems support the
sides of the excavation with:
• timber
• aluminum
• hydraulic,
pneumatic, or
mechanical
systems
17a
Support, shield, and
protective systems
Shoring systems are made up of
cross braces, wales, and
uprights
Selectionand
design involves
using tabulated
data
17b
Precautions when
protective systems are
being installed
Securelyconnect members of
support systems
Safely install support systems
Never
overload members of
support systems
18a
Precautions when
protective systems are
being installed
Install
other structural
members to carry loads when
temporary removal of members
is necessary
Theinstallation of support
systems must be closely
coordinated with the excavation
process
18b
Daily inspections
Inspectexcavations for
possible:
• cave-ins
• failure of protective systems
• hazardous atmospheres
• other hazardous conditions
19a
Trench failure
Recognize hazardous conditions
Sudden changes can mean
disaster
20a
Trench failure
Things
that can cause
immediate change include:
• bulldozers coming too close to the
trench
• a sudden downpour
• striking an underground utility line
20b
Trench failure
Tension cracks can cause
sliding, sluffing, or toppling
Unsupported excavation can
cause bulging in the vertical
face
20c
Trench failure
Downward pressure can cause
bottom heaving or squeezing
Upward water flow can cause
boiling in the bottom of the
excavation
20d
