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Excavations OSHA Competent

Person Course 3

Hazards of Excavations
Cave Ins
Legal Stuff

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Cave In

• Warning:
• It should be
noted that all
excavations,
no matter
what depth,
may be
hazardous.
Cave-in Facts
Cave In

• Removal of soil from an excavation causes


unbalanced soil stresses.
• Soil cannot be relied upon to support its own weight.
Cave In

• Cave-ins cause most


fatalities
• Suffocation
• Crushing
• Selecting the correct
protective system.
The Weight of Soils

• Soil is extremely forceful


when moving.
• Moving soil can easily
shatter bones and crush
internal organs.
Cave In

• Soil is an extremely heavy


material, and may weigh more
than 100 pounds per cubic foot
(pcf). A cubic yard of soil (3 ft x
3 ft x 3 ft), which contains 27
cubic feet of material, may
weigh more than 2,700 pounds
(lbs).
Cave In

• That is nearly one and a


half tons (the equivalent
weight of a car) in a
space less than the size
of the average office
desk.
Cave In

• Wet soil, rocky soil or


rock is usually
heavier.
• The human body
cannot support such
heavy loads without
being injured.
The Weight of Soils

• A column of soil exerts not


only a vertical force, but
also a horizontal force in all
outward directions. The
outward force is equal to
one-half the vertical force.
The Weight of Soils

• Imagine just 1 cubic foot


on your stomach or
back…have a friend
stand on your chest to
find out!
Inadequate Protective System

This worker is in a
trench with no
protective
system, that is
not sloped or
benched and has
no means of
egress
Surface Encumbrances

• 1926.651(a)
• Surface encumbrances. All
surface encumbrances that
are located so as to create
a hazard to employees
shall be removed or
supported, as necessary,
to safeguard employees.
Surface Encumbrances
How Sloping Works

Soil Forces - unsloped Soil Forces – not sloped enough


How Sloping Works

Soil Forces – Slope based on soil classification


Sloping
Sloping
Sloping
Sloping Class A
Sloping Class A
Sloping Class B Soil
Single Bench Class B Soil
Benching Class B Soil
Bench Excavation
(permitted in cohesive soils only)
Sloping Class C
Can’t Bench Class C Soil
Layered Soil

When soil types are in layers, the


soil must be classified on the
basis of the weakest soil layer

Each layer must be classified


individually if a more stable layer
is below a less stable layer
Class A over Class B
Class A over Class C
Class B over Class A
Class B over Class C
Class C over Class A
Class C over Class B
How to Fix the Sloped Excavation

• When there are


signs of distress:
• The slope shall be
cut back to Cracks
1/2H:1V less steep
than the max.
allowable slope.
• Class A soil 1 and
¼:1
• Class B soil 1 and
½:1
• Class C soil 2:1
More Signs of Distress
Spoil Piles

• Don’t place spoils


within 2 feet from
edge of excavation
• Measure from nearest
part of the spoil to the
excavation edge
• Place spoils so
rainwater runs away
from the excavation
Spoil Piles
The Real Dirt on Spoil Piles

• Spoils should be put back an equal distance


to the depth of the excavation.
Terms for Shoring
OSHA Designed Shoring
• The OSHA tables
tell us how to
build shoring.
• Must know soil
type
• Must know depth
and width of
excavation
• Must follow the
OSHA Tables
exactly.
Manufactured Designed Shoring

• Use hydraulic jacks the


operator can easily drop
the system into the hole
• Once in place, hydraulic
pressure is increased to
keep the forms in place
• Trench pins are installed
in case of hydraulic
failure
Shoring

• Pneumatic shoring uses air pressure in place of hydraulic pressure.


• Screw jack systems differ from hydraulic and pneumatic systems in that
the struts of a screw jack system must be adjusted manually. This creates
a hazard because the worker is required to be in the trench in order to
adjust the strut.
How Shoring Works

• Vertical pressure attempts to knock the top


keystone out; however, by design, the top
keystone applies pressure to the others and
equilibrium is maintained.
How Shoring Works
• Hydraulic shoring creates an arching
effect and counters (pushes back)
the earth’s lateral forces.
Cave-in Hazard

This excavation
has inadequate
support posts
and egress
access.

Inadequate protective system


Installing Shoring
•Excavate to depth.
•Place vertical trench
sheets on each side of the
trench and drive them into
the base of the excavation
with the excavator bucket.
•Install the top horizontal
waling along each side of
the excavation.
Installing Shoring

• Working from a lightweight


staging (with guard rails
attached) laid across the
trench, insert a strut between
the walings at the location of
the trench sheets.
Installing Shoring
• Excavator operator position bucket
between the installers and vertical
end of the trench – provides cave-in
protection.
• Install the sheets between the
walings and the trench sides and
drive into the base of the
excavation;
Installing Shoring

Position a ladder into the


excavation, secure, and install
lower and intermediate walings
as required by the design.
Shoring

• Install intermediate
struts as necessary
from the lightweight
staging (and install
edge protection as
necessary to prevent
people falling into
the trench)
Shoring

• When sheeting (plywood) is


used never attach the
crossbraces directly into the
sheeting.
Backfilling

• Backfilling and removal of trench


supports starts at the bottom of
the trench.
• Jacks or braces shall be released
slowly especially the lowest
brace.
• Ropes can be used to pull out
the jacks from above after
personnel have cleared the
trench.
Backfilling

•Remove the
lowest brace.
Backfilling

•Backfill and
compact.
Remote Compactor
Backfilling

•Remove next
brace.
Backfilling

•Backfill and
compact.
Backfilling

•Remove the
last brace.
Backfilling

•Backfill and
compact.
Backfilling

•Pull out the


uprights.
Shield Systems
Shields

•Open ends
of shield
must be
protected.
Shields and Slopes

• Must extend 18”


above excavation or
begin sloping 18”
below top of shield.
Shield Fall Prevention Tip

• Cut a
walkway
around the
shield to
prevent
workers
from
walking on
the soil at
an angle.
How To Move The Trench Box

• The trench box


manufacturers
instructions will
tell you where
and how to
install rigging
for its
movement.
How To Move The Trench Box

• Equipment lifting or moving


the trench box will have:
• Load charts. PSCA 3, 7.23

• Where the rigging can be


installed on the bucket or
dipper.
• Never attach rigging to the
teeth of the bucket.
Lifting Objects OVERLOADING IS HAZARDOUS

• Could cause death or


serious injury. Make certain
you are within the safe load
and work radius limitations
of your machine and are on
solid, level ground before
lifting any load.
• Attach chains and slings to
the manufacturer’s
designated lifting points on
or around the bucket.
• When lifting and placing
position the machine so
that lowering is over the
blade end of the machine
rather than a side.
Lifting Objects
• When lifting a load with the blade on
the ground, do not raise the blade
when the load is lifted. This can cause
sudden movement of the machine and
the object being lifted causing death or
serious injury.
• When lifting, be sure that the load is
properly balanced. Move slowly and
keep slings short to prevent excessive
load swing. If necessary, use a tag line
for additional control.
• Sudden movement of the machine or
the lifted object could cause personal
injury.
Shields

•Employees are
not allowed in the
shield when it is
being moved.
Can Trench Boxes Be Stacked?

Only if the
tabulated
data of
the trench
box allows
it.
Shields

Worker must
remain inside the
box at all times.

This excavation
can cave in from
the top of the
shield
Shields

Worker
must
remain
inside the
box at all
times.
Shields

• Only 2 feet
below the
shield is
permitted – if
the
manufacturers
instructions say
so!
More Than 2 Feet.
Shields

• Hazard from
breaking utilities
due to soil
movement.
• If shields are to
prevent soil
movement they
must be
properly
backfilled.
Shields

• Signs of distress.

• Ensure there is no
soil loss behind or
below the shield
Soil Loss
• The area around
the shield must be
backfilled.
Shields

• The area around the shield


must be backfilled.
• It allows easier access into the
shield at the top.
• Limits soil movement in case
of a cave in.
• Soil movement won’t knock
over the shield on to
employees.
Shields

• Don’t backfill
while
employees
are inside the
shield
• They can be
struck by
earth and
rock.
Side of box is
not protected.

They only work if


you stay inside of
the shield.
Shields

• Need to use another protection system.


Shields Are Adaptable
Don’t Use Damaged Shields
Shield tab data.
Designs by Engineers

At least one copy of the


design shall be Designs shall be in writing
maintained at the job site and include:
during excavation.

(1) A plan indicating the


sizes, types, and
(2) The identity of the
configurations of the
registered engineer who
materials to be used in
approved the design.
the protective system,
and

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