Following these guidelines helps limit struck-by incidents, Kennedy said. The following diagrams show some of the more frequently identified causes of trench failure. We've arranged the synonyms in length order so that they are easier to find. Safety trenching operations reduce exposure to potential risks such as falling loads, risky atmosphere, and falls. Avoid working under raised or suspended loads. Preplanning is paramount in excavation work. Once backfilling is finished, Cain recommends evaluating work during a post-job discussion. When choosing protective systems, a safety officer or competent person must consider various factors, including soil classification, depth of cut, water content of soil, weather- or climate-driven changes, surcharge loads, and other nearby operations. Keep excavated soils and any other load at least 2 feet from trench edges and never work under raised loads. Competent Person and the Standard Proper selection and installation of trench protection measures are very important. • Shielding workers with trench boxes or other support devices. But that decision can backfire. Trenches 20 feet (6.1 meters) deep or greater require that the protective system be designed Trench Shoring Boxes sells a range of aluminum safety shields that are meant for particular needs. A job near an underground natural gas line, for example, would warrant air sampling. protective system: Method of protecting personnel against cave-ins, material falling from an excavation face or into an excavation, or the collapse of nearby structures. The jobs are getting bigger and the excavation is getting larger and deeper and more complex.”. The   different excavation methods for various projects need complementary structural solutions. Before starting on any duty, a competent person must inspect the trenches to ascertain whether any changes require attention. The standard provides several options for designing trench protection measures. Sloping and Benching. And they’re making sure workers don’t take chances, ladders are set up, [excavated soil] piles are set back at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation. Trenches 5 feet to 19 feet: OSHA explains that any trench other than those made of stable rock exceeding 5 feet in depth must have a protective system in place. Timber shoring. Shield (shield system) A structure that is able to withstand the forces imposed on it by a cave-in and thereby protect employees within the structure. “The equipment swings around and the operator doesn’t know the [person] is there,” Kennedy said. Water must not be allowed to accumulate in a trench (29 CFR 1926.651(p)). It could be a five-minute discussion right after a particularly hazardous job. Able to identify hazardous working conditions or anything that poses a danger to workers. A trench box safety is a type of box that sits in a trench to provide structural support during soil excavation. Protective systems include support systems, sloping and benching systems, shield systems, and other Check out on anything that may affect the stability of the trench. Trench work is to be inspected daily by a "competent person". Was anything unexpected encountered? A competent person has the following qualities, Your email address will not be published. Protective systems include support systems, sloping and benching … Is equipment operating near the trench or excavation? Can identify different soil types and the protective systems required depending on the soil type. It could actually make a difference in the next job or the job after that.”, www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17490-trenching-and-excavation-safety. Protective systems include support systems, sloping and benching systems, shield systems, and other Your email address will not be published. If less than 5 feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required. Another worker died after returning to an unprotected trench to grab a pack of cigarettes that had fallen from his pocket and a cave-in occurred. Are there adequate means of access and egress? Not every protective system is suitable for each type of soil. Best practices to promote Student recognition at the end of the year. (For a more in-depth look at the responsibilities of a competent person, read “What is a ‘competent person’?” at sh-m.ag/2OZSp2e.). A Trench box is one of the solutions that greatly help. In trenching and excavation operations, they refer to the provision of safe means for employees to enter or exit an excavation or trench. Other protective systems include "benching," which involves cutting step -like ledges into thewalls of trench • Does it contain water? Trench Safety Measures. Aluminum OSHA Trench Safety. A qualified person has to determine whether or not a protective system is necessary. To comply The agency lists “employee injury from collapse” as the primary hazard of excavation work and includes “no protective system” among the leading causes of worker injuries. For any trench over 20 feet deep, an engineer or other qualified professional must be involved in the design or installation of the protective system. As per the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a trench box must be used where there is any trenching or excavation activity five feet or deeper. Shoring – typically a system of timbers to support trench walls to prevent soil movement and cave-ins. The following guide is an aid intended for students who have completed the ClickSafety training course or ... • Surface Encumbrances include: • Trees, utility poles • Curbs, gutters, and sidewalks ... SUPPORT SYSTEMS, SHIELD SYSTEMS, AND OTHER PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS Protective Devices • Trench shields • Trench jacks • Manhole boxes • Installing some kind of shoring system, such as planks or hydraulic jacks. If shielding is used, does the shield extend at least 18 inches above the surrounding area if it is sloped toward the excavation? Ramp means an inclined walking or working surface that is used to gain access to one point from another, and is constructed from earth or from structural materials such as steel or wood. The designated competent person leading the operation takes a central role by mastering OSHA regulations and recognizing existing and potential hazards. Support System – refers to structures such as underpinning, bracing, and shoring that provide support to an adjacent structure or underground installation or to the sides of an excavation or trench. Protective Systems A method used to protect an employee from cave-in of soil or rock material in an excavation or trench; or from the collapse of adjacent structures. If you are considering a protective railing system, consider one that clips onto shoring boxes. Ask, ‘How did it go? Sloping can only be done if the trench is less than 20 feet. You, therefore, have to ensure that there are safety precautions in place to help curb such issues. Employers should ensure workers are trained on trenching hazards and develop an emergency action plan. The rails are adjustable in width from four to six feet, and must be used within those ranges. inspections and proper protective systems are disregarded for ‘production’ motives,” said Blake Smith, sales and marketing director for United Rentals Trench Safety. The OSHA standard for trenching and excavation requires protective systems for trenches that are 5 feet or deeper, unless the excavation occurs in stable rock. Examples of protective systems that can be used to comply with the Excavation standards include: Sloping the sides of the excavation to an angle not steeper than 1½:1 (for every foot of depth, the trench must be excavated back 1½ feet). Are adjacent structures stabilized? A professional engineer has to design trenches 6.1 meters (20 feet deep) or greater as it requires protective measures. Questions a competent person should ask during a site assessment include: “It’s extremely important to have a competent person on the job,” Kennedy said, “because they’re going to make sure that they are using their protective system, that it is set up properly. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires companies to install protective systems whenever they are excavating at a depth of five feet or more. Is it more than 4 feet deep? An unprotected trench is an early grave. In my opinion, this is the safest of the four protective systems, primarily because the potential for trench collapse and the collection of hazardous atmosphere in low-lying areas is greatly diminished. Chris Cain, executive director of the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR), stressed that excavations are dug in response to the needs of the worksite, and protective systems follow the same logic. As an employee, you need to realize that for any excavation work, there are so many risks when the trench collapses, or cave-ins, posing severe risks of injury or fatality. heavy equipment be far away from trench edges. It involves cutting back the trench wall at an angle inclined away from the excavation. The following NIOSH document provides a broad outline of trench safety issues: Trench Safety Awareness. One worker was killed in a collapse after removing a trench shield to retrieve a shovel. The OSHA standard for trenching and excavation requires protective systems for trenches that are 5 feet or deeper, unless the excavation occurs in stable rock. For any trench over five feet deep not in stable rock, a protective system must be utilized. Protective systems can be horizontal steps, walls cut at an angle or the installation of special supports. Sloping Protective systems include sloping and benching systems, shield systems, and support systems. workers during trench work and excavations. No matter the nature of the work or depth of the trench, excavations are unstable, experts note. That’s all it takes. The fatality rate for excavation work is 112 percent higher than the rate for general construction, OSHA data shows. “Either where there’s no shoring at all,” he said, “or where the contractor misapplies the shoring system – doesn’t do it properly, doesn’t do a job hazard analysis before they begin the shoring, that sort of thing.”. their duties include: • Approval of protective system designs where the trench is over 20 feet deep; • Approval of protective systems which involve working close to or under footings, foundations, retaining walls, or other structures; • Custom design of protective systems; Protective systems include support systems, sloping and benching systems, shield systems, and other systems that provide the necessary protection. Wearing high-visibility clothing such as shirts, jackets, sweaters or vests can contribute to mitigating yet another hazard for workers in excavation: worker visibility. Types of protective systems include nearby shoring, sloping and benching, and shield and trench box systems. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. marker pens; timber shoring material to include: plywood trench panels, (dimensions must conform to the OSHA trench standard) or commercial panels (Shore Form, Finn ... Trench Rescue- Protective Systems Page 7 of 13 the tops on the same side as the panel will be inserted from. It is deeper than it is wide, no wider than 15 feet. Alternatively, depending on the work or system at hand, the engineer may give consent for the tabulated data to be used. “We’ve made a lot of progress,” said Ron Chilton, president of the North American Excavation Shoring Association, “but we’re still a dangerous profession. Workers should keep heavy equipment away from trench edges, keep surcharge loads at least 2 feet from trench edges and never work under raised loads. Protective systems could include: • Sloping the ground at an angle inclined away from the excavation. Some of the commonly used protective systems include: Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or more should have a protective system unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. To contribute your article, please contact us, Powered by WordPress / Academica WordPress Theme by WPZOOM. All the things that go along with making sure the trench is safe before a worker goes into it.”, Said Turner: “If that process is followed and it happens, it prevents workers from getting trapped and having cave-ins. Employers, therefore, need to provide a suitable work environment. Wear high-visibility clothing to help mitigate worker visibility. Protective system: A method of protecting employees from cave-ins, from material that could fall or roll from an excavation face or into an excavation, and from the collapse of adjacent structures. Protective systems include: Sloping or Benching – cutting back the trench wall at an angle or a step pattern inclined away from the excavation trench. George Kennedy can recall multiple incidents involving unprotected workers and trench cave-ins. Trench shoring systems are methods of protecting workers from cave-ins of material that can fall or roll into an excavation, or from the collapse of adjacent structures. “Even 30 seconds, a minute. If an excavation is less than 5 feet deep, OSHA does not require protective systems unless the competent person sees signs of a potential cave-in. Types of protective systems include sloping, shoring and shielding. If less than 5 feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required. Is there documentation of the minimum daily excavation inspection. Further, Cain said, crews working near old landfills should be mindful of a possible exposure to methane gas or hydrogen sulfide – an odiferous, toxic gas. “Employers need to recognize that any excavation has the potential for exposure to serious injury or fatality, and have systems in place to verify that precautions are specifically identified and carried out consistently,” said Larry R. Russell, principal consultant at DEKRA Organizational Safety & Reliability. Russell recommends a competent person consult OSHA’s technical manual on hazard recognition in trenching and shoring. OSHA also requires that a safe means of access or egress – such as ladders, steps and ramps – be located within 25 feet of all workers for excavations 4 feet or deeper. Protective systems include support systems, sloping and benching systems, shield systems, and other systems that provide the necessary protection. The time spent in choosing the right protective system and ensuring that the team is up to date on training is an investment in project success. Unfortunately, some of those stories have tragic endings. OSHA defines an excavation as “any man-made cut, cavity, trench or depression in the earth’s surface formed by earth removal.” A trench is “a narrow underground excavation that is deeper than it is wide, and is no wider than 15 feet.” The agency points out that 1 cubic yard of soil can weigh up to 3,000 pounds – approximately the weight of a small car. Subpart P states that trench backfilling “shall progress together with the removal of support systems from excavations” as work nears its completion. Make the home a pest-free place to live in with Exterminator Brooklyn, 5 Sustainability Tips for College Students. Kennedy, vice president of safety for the National Utility Contractors Association, is among those working to raise trench safety awareness. 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