Trenching and Excavation

An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface formed by earth removal. Cave-ins pose the greatest risk and are much more likely to result in worker fatalities than any other excavation-related accidents. Other potential hazards include falls, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres and incidents involving mobile equipment.

Each state has unique law requirements of all excavators prior to performing any excavation work. The 811 nationwide number to Protect Pipelines, Utilities from Excavation Damage law, established by the Federal Communications Commission to help protect utilities from unintentional damage, requires the excavator to call prior to excavating, but also requires that hand or soft dig methods be used to physically locate marked utility lines within the tolerance zone prior to excavating with mechanical equipment. Proper potholing, or physically locating existing underground utilities, is a critical step in damage prevention of underground utilities and worker safety.   This is an important step and a requirement of the 811 law that must be done with reasonable care to prevent damage to the underground facilities.

In accordance with OSHA standards, trenches need to be inspected daily before work begins, or whenever conditions change, by a competent person to ensure elimination of excavation hazards. A competent person is an individual who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards or working conditions that are hazardous, unsanitary, or dangerous to workers, soil types and protective systems required, and who is authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate these hazards and conditions. The competent person needs to be trained and capable of classifying soils and identifying unstable soil condition and be able to take the appropriate remediation steps.

OSHA standards require safe access and egress to all excavations, including ladders, steps, ramps or other safe means of exit for employees working in trench excavations 4 feet (1.22 meters) or deeper. These devices must be located within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of employees at all times. In addition, trenches of 5 feet in depth or greater require a protective system to be implemented prior to personal entering the excavation unless the trench is made entirely in stable solid rock. Trenches exceeding 20 feet in depth require a protective system designed by a professional engineer.

·         Follow applicable State 811 Law requirements for utility mark out
·         Inspect trenches/excavations daily
·         Ingress and egress of workers
·         Slope, Bench, Shield to prevent cave ins
·         Watch for moving equipment -caught in between, struck by, and falling hazards 

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Additional References:

OSHA -Trenching and Excavation Safety

FCC Designates 811 as Nationwide Number to Protect Pipelines, Utilities from Excavation Damage

Common Ground Alliance (CGA), Best Practices- The Definitive Guide for Underground Safety and Damage Prevention