With construction projects, there are multiple risks on a construction site. Let’s take a look at two of the most dangerous jobs: trenching and digging.
In 2022, another 39 people died while conducting excavation or trenching work in the United States, according to the Department of Labor. This figure is more than double that of 2021.
Following the alarming increase in the number of deaths, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced a protective crusade around trenches and excavations. Working directly with employers and agencies, they have conducted on-site inspections and, in some states, helped pass legislation that expands fines for employers who fail to comply with protective protocols.
There are safety hazards at a trench and excavation job site, but collapses pose the most serious risk and have the highest likelihood of resulting in fatalities, according to OSHA. A cubic meter of soil can weigh as much as a car. If workers are placed in a trench when it collapses, it can be simply catastrophic.
Regardless of the security issue, reducing the number of incidents depends on how proactive you are with your security measures. A forward-thinking technique not only protects your workers, but also minimizes the monetary and legal liabilities related to those incidents.
As an employer, it is your duty to ensure that you take the proper steps to keep your workers in the workplace. Here are 3 key tactics to lessen the threat of a collapse and lessen the threat of injury or death to workers.
Because of the excessive danger presented at these task sites, it is a good idea to start taking precautions before a task even begins. A big part of this process is checking the condition of the flooring at the jobsite. If situations aren’t ideal, it probably isn’t sending your workers into a trench.
There are 4 classifications of soils that vary in stability: wrought rock, A, B, and C.
A competent user (someone capable and experienced in identifying hazards) deserves to assess the soil on a daily basis and as situations change. Things on a job site can be replaced quickly, especially after rain, storms, vibrations, or other occasions that can create hazards. At a minimum, a visual check and a manual check are required. OSHA outlines what the evaluator must review at each verification.
Protection formulas are a key detail to ensure the defense of your excavation site and trenches. They are required for trenches that are more than five feet deep or that are not completely dug out of solid rock. But a competent user deserves to inspect even spaces that do not meet this requirement to determine whether a coverage formula is mandatory. If your personnel are in a trench 20 feet deep or deeper, they will need to have a cover in position formula designed by a licensed professional engineer.
OSHA systems include:
The type of formula you use will likely depend on the type of soil.
In the event of a collapse, the staff has very little time to get to safety. That is why it is also essential to have adequate exits at the excavation site. Ladders will be placed each and every 25 feet of lateral movement. The available ladders not only allow for quick exit, but also reduce the threat of personnel jumping into trenches or excavations and getting injured.
As with floor situations, a competent user inspects those coverage systems daily and whenever situations change.
While it is your duty as an employer to ensure that proper precautions are taken at an excavation and trenching site, it is imperative that workers are trained on precautionary protocols and signs. They will be attentive to warning signs and will only enter a trench if:
If a worker is unsure that a trench is safe, check with their manager to see if the required testing has been completed.
You can reduce the threat of collapse by implementing physically powerful protective measures, conducting a thorough soil analysis, following proper training, and maintaining vigilant inspection routines. But those are just some of the key protective measures you should take. I inspire you to talk to your local experts and consult OSHA’s trenching and excavation resources for additional consideration.