Excavation - Construction Safety



Excavations

DEFINITIONS:
1.               Excavation
Any man-made cavity or depression in the earth's surface, including its sides, walls, or faces, formed by earth removal and producing unsupported earth conditions by reason of the excavation.
2.               Trench Excavation
A narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground.  In general, the depth is greater than the width, but the width of a trench is not greater than 4.5 meters (15 feet).
3.               Accepted Engineering and Construction Practices
Plans for excavations and protective system methods shall be submitted to Loss Prevention before work start up.
4.               Protective Systems
Methods used to protect employees from cave-ins, from materials that could fall or roll into the excavation onto the workers or from collapse of adjacent structures.  Protective systems include supports, sloping and benching, shields and other means to protect workers.
5.               Shoring
Hydraulic, timber or mechanical systems that support the sides of an excavation, designed to prevent cave-ins.
6.               Hydraulic Shoring
A pre-engineered support system of aluminum hydraulic cylinders (cross-braces) used with vertical rods (uprights) or horizontal rods designed specifically to support side walls of an excavation to prevent cave-in.
7.               Benching
A method of protecting employees from cave-ins by excavating the sides of an excavation to form one or a series of horizontal steps, with a vertical rise between steps.
8.               Sloping

A method of excavating in which the sides of an excavation are laid back to a safe angle to prevent cave-ins.  (The safe angle required varies with different types of soil, exposure to the elements and superimposed loads.  There is no single angle of repose.  Soil classification must be identified to select safe sloping and benching methods.)

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