To better assist excavation firms and contractors, OSHA completely updated the existing standard to simplify many of the existing provisions, add and clarify definitions, eliminate duplicate provisions and ambiguous language, and give employers added flexibility in providing protection for employees. The standard was effective as of March 5, 1990.
SCOPE AND APPLICATION
OSHA's revised rule applies to all open excavations made in the earth's surface, which includes trenches.
According to the OSHA construction safety and health standards, a trench is referred to as a narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground in which the depth is greater than the width-the width not exceeding 15 feet. An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth's surface formed by earth removal. This can include excavations for anything from cellars to highways.
According to the OSHA construction safety and health standards, a trench is referred to as a narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground in which the depth is greater than the width-the width not exceeding 15 feet. An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth's surface formed by earth removal. This can include excavations for anything from cellars to highways.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Planning for Safety
Many on-the-job accidents are a direct result of inadequate initial planning. Correcting mistakes in shoring and/or sloping after work has begun slows down the operation, adds to the cost, and increases the possibility of an excavation failure. The contractor should build safety into the pre-bid planning in the same way all other pre-bid factors are considered.
It is a good idea for contractors to develop safety checklists before preparing a bid, to make certain there is adequate information about the job site and all needed items are on hand.
These checklists should incorporate elements of the relevant OSHA standards as well as other information necessary for safe operations.
Before preparing a bid, these specific site conditions should be taken into account:
Many on-the-job accidents are a direct result of inadequate initial planning. Correcting mistakes in shoring and/or sloping after work has begun slows down the operation, adds to the cost, and increases the possibility of an excavation failure. The contractor should build safety into the pre-bid planning in the same way all other pre-bid factors are considered.
It is a good idea for contractors to develop safety checklists before preparing a bid, to make certain there is adequate information about the job site and all needed items are on hand.
These checklists should incorporate elements of the relevant OSHA standards as well as other information necessary for safe operations.
Before preparing a bid, these specific site conditions should be taken into account:
- Traffic,
- Nearness of structures and their conditions,
- Soil,
- Surface and ground water,
- The water table,
- Overhead and underground utilities, and
- Weather.
These and other conditions can be determined by job site studies, observations, test borings for soil type or conditions, and consultations with local officials and utility companies.
Before any excavation actually begins, the standard requires the employer to determine the estimated location of utility installations-sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installations—that may be encountered during digging. Also, before starting the excavation, the contractor must contact the utility companies or owners involved and inform them, within established or customary local response times, of the proposed work. The contractor must also ask the utility companies or owners to find the exact location of the underground installations. If they cannot respond within 24 hours (unless the period required by state or local law is longer), or if they cannot find the exact location of the utility installations, the contractor may proceed with caution. To find the exact location of underground installations, workers must use safe and acceptable means. If underground installations are exposed, OSHA regulations also require that they be removed, protected or properly supported.
When all the necessary specific information about the job site is assembled, the contractor is ready to determine the amount, kind, and cost of the safety equipment needed. A careful inventory of the safety items on hand should be made before deciding what additional safety material must be acquired. No matter how many trenching, shoring and backfilling jobs have been done in the past, each job should be approached with the utmost care and preparation.
Before Beginning the Job
It is important, before beginning the job, for the contractor to establish and maintain a safety and health program for the work site that provides adequate systematic policies, procedures, and practices to protect employees from, and allow them to recognize, job-related safety and health hazards.
An effective program includes provisions for the systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of general workplace hazards, specific job hazards, and potential hazards that may arise from foreseeable conditions. The program may be written or verbal but it should reflect the unique characteristics of the job site.
To help contractors develop an effective safety and health program, in 1989, OSHA issued recommended guidelines for the effective management and protection of worker safety and health. The complete original text of the nonmandatory guidelines is found in the Federal Register [54 FR (18):3904-3916, January 26, 1989].
A copy of the guidelines can be obtained from the OSHA Publications Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room N-3101, Washington, D.C. 20210, or from the nearest OSHA Regional Office.
To be sure safety policies are implemented effectively, there must be cooperation among supervisors, employee groups, including unions, and individual employees. Each supervisor must understand the degree of responsibility and authority he or she holds in a particular area. For effective labor support, affected unions should be notified of construction plans and asked to cooperate.
It is also important, before beginning work, for employers to provide employees who are exposed to public vehicular traffic with warning vests or other suitable garments marked with or made of reflectorized or high-visibility material and ensure that they wear them. Workers must also be instructed to remove or neutralize surface encumbrances that may create a hazard.
In addition, no employee should operate a piece of equipment without first being properly trained to handle it and fully alerted to its potential hazards.
In the training and in the site safety and health program, it also is important to incorporate procedures for fast notification and investigation of accidents.
On-the-Job Evaluation
The standard requires that a competent person inspect, on a daily basis, excavations and the adjacent areas for possible cave-ins, failures of protective systems and equipment, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions. If these conditions are encountered, exposed employees must be removed from the hazardous area until the necessary safety precautions have been taken. Inspections are also required after natural (e.g., heavy rains) or man-made events such as blasting that may increase the potential for hazards.
Larger and more complex operations should have a full-time safety official who makes recommendations to improve the implementation of the safety plan. In a smaller operation, the safety official may be part-time and usually will be a supervisor.
Supervisors are the contractor's representatives on the job. Supervisors should conduct inspections, investigate accidents, and anticipate hazards. They should ensure that employees receive on-the-job safety and health training. They should also review and strengthen overall safety and health precautions to guard against potential hazards, get the necessary worker cooperation in safety matters, and make frequent reports to the contractor.
Before any excavation actually begins, the standard requires the employer to determine the estimated location of utility installations-sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installations—that may be encountered during digging. Also, before starting the excavation, the contractor must contact the utility companies or owners involved and inform them, within established or customary local response times, of the proposed work. The contractor must also ask the utility companies or owners to find the exact location of the underground installations. If they cannot respond within 24 hours (unless the period required by state or local law is longer), or if they cannot find the exact location of the utility installations, the contractor may proceed with caution. To find the exact location of underground installations, workers must use safe and acceptable means. If underground installations are exposed, OSHA regulations also require that they be removed, protected or properly supported.
When all the necessary specific information about the job site is assembled, the contractor is ready to determine the amount, kind, and cost of the safety equipment needed. A careful inventory of the safety items on hand should be made before deciding what additional safety material must be acquired. No matter how many trenching, shoring and backfilling jobs have been done in the past, each job should be approached with the utmost care and preparation.
Before Beginning the Job
It is important, before beginning the job, for the contractor to establish and maintain a safety and health program for the work site that provides adequate systematic policies, procedures, and practices to protect employees from, and allow them to recognize, job-related safety and health hazards.
An effective program includes provisions for the systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of general workplace hazards, specific job hazards, and potential hazards that may arise from foreseeable conditions. The program may be written or verbal but it should reflect the unique characteristics of the job site.
To help contractors develop an effective safety and health program, in 1989, OSHA issued recommended guidelines for the effective management and protection of worker safety and health. The complete original text of the nonmandatory guidelines is found in the Federal Register [54 FR (18):3904-3916, January 26, 1989].
A copy of the guidelines can be obtained from the OSHA Publications Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room N-3101, Washington, D.C. 20210, or from the nearest OSHA Regional Office.
To be sure safety policies are implemented effectively, there must be cooperation among supervisors, employee groups, including unions, and individual employees. Each supervisor must understand the degree of responsibility and authority he or she holds in a particular area. For effective labor support, affected unions should be notified of construction plans and asked to cooperate.
It is also important, before beginning work, for employers to provide employees who are exposed to public vehicular traffic with warning vests or other suitable garments marked with or made of reflectorized or high-visibility material and ensure that they wear them. Workers must also be instructed to remove or neutralize surface encumbrances that may create a hazard.
In addition, no employee should operate a piece of equipment without first being properly trained to handle it and fully alerted to its potential hazards.
In the training and in the site safety and health program, it also is important to incorporate procedures for fast notification and investigation of accidents.
On-the-Job Evaluation
The standard requires that a competent person inspect, on a daily basis, excavations and the adjacent areas for possible cave-ins, failures of protective systems and equipment, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions. If these conditions are encountered, exposed employees must be removed from the hazardous area until the necessary safety precautions have been taken. Inspections are also required after natural (e.g., heavy rains) or man-made events such as blasting that may increase the potential for hazards.
Larger and more complex operations should have a full-time safety official who makes recommendations to improve the implementation of the safety plan. In a smaller operation, the safety official may be part-time and usually will be a supervisor.
Supervisors are the contractor's representatives on the job. Supervisors should conduct inspections, investigate accidents, and anticipate hazards. They should ensure that employees receive on-the-job safety and health training. They should also review and strengthen overall safety and health precautions to guard against potential hazards, get the necessary worker cooperation in safety matters, and make frequent reports to the contractor.