Excavations - The OSHA Competent

Person Course 7

OSHA’s Soil Classification

System
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Soil Classification
• Soil Classification (Type A, B, or C)
determines construction of protective
system:
• Sloping or benching
• Shields
• Shoring
• Timber shoring
• Aluminum shoring
Soil Classification Simple

•OSHA never intended to

have an elaborate time
consuming analysis
system.
•But a simple analysis
system that can classify
soil during the excavating
of the soil.
When Required

• When the employer elects to use

sloping or shoring systems the soils
classification procedures are
mandatory.
• Employer guesses or other shortcuts
taken in classifying soils do not meet
the intent of the standard.
Soil Classification

• Soil Classification is not require for

type C sloping, shoring, or shielding.
 Classifying Soils

The competent person classifies the type

of soil you will be working on:
•Solid Rock
•Type A
•Type B
•Type C
•Wet Soil
 Soil classification

• Type “A”
• Fine grained
• Clumps when excavated Clay Loam
• Hard to break up when dry
• Examples:
• Clay
• Hardpan
Clay
• Silty or sandy clay, clay loam Fissured –
Class B Soil
 Soil classification

Type B
• Granular: coarse grains Silty loam
• Little or no clay content
• Crumbles easily when dry
• Examples:
• Silt-fine mineral particles in
size between clay and sand
• Loam-from fragments of rock Loam
deposits in water
• Angular gravel-crushed rock-
the angular nature of the
individual rocks provides some
resistance to movement
Angular gravel
 Soil Classification

Type C
• Granular soil: very Sand
coarse
• Soil does not climp when
excavated.
• Examples:
• Sand Gravel
• Gravel
• Loamy sand
• Submerged soil or soil with
freely seeping water
• Submerged rock that is not
stable. Loamy sand
Soil Classification

• The competent person

conducting the soil
classification may not
base a classification
by "feeling" the
strength or
composition of the soil
through the use of
heavy equipment.
Soil Classification

• The classification of soil and rock

deposits shall be made based on
the results of at least
• one visual
• one manual analysis.
• Such analysis shall be conducted
by a competent person using the
OSHA approved tests.
Soil Classification

• OSHA’s Big Mistake

• However, OSHA does not
tell us how the approved
tests determine soil
classification.
• The following method using OSHA’s
tests will determine soil classification
quickly and consistently.
Visual Test

• During the excavation is the soil?

Fine grained Coarse or

granular
Visual Test

• Does the soil clump when excavated?

Fine grained Coarse or

granular

Yes No No Yes

Class C Soil
End analysis
Clumping Soil
Soil With No Clumps
Visual Test

•Is the side of the excavation smooth or fissured?

Coarse or
Fine grained
granular
Smooth
Fissured
Smooth Fissured

Possible Class Possible Class Class C Soil

A Soil B Soil End Analysis
Smooth Vs. Fissured

Unfissured (Smooth) Class

Fissured Class B Soil C Soil
Visual Test

•Is the soil previously disturbed, subject to vibration, is in a

layered system or has surface water?

Possible Class
Possible Class
A Soil
B Soil

Yes No
No Yes

Probable Class Probable Class Class C Soil

A Soil B Soil End Analysis
Layered Soil
Layered Soil

•Soil shall be
classified
according
to its
weakest
layer.
Previously Disturbed Soil - Vibration
Surface Water
 Soil Classification

Type A
Even if soil has high clay
content, is plastic when
moist, has a t.s.f. at 1.5 or
greater it cannot be
classified as “Type A” if it is
fissured, has been
previously disturbed, or
This soil is fissured
is subject to vibration from changing the classification
from A to B
heavy traffic, etc.
Manual Tests

• Manual tests are done to determine the

unconfined compressive strength of soils.
• We must conduct at least one manual
analysis.
• Problem – Some OSHA manual tests are
very unreliable.
• Use an objective test like a
penetrometer or shearvane.
How to use the Penatrometer

• Choose a test location that

is not rock or gravel or
other particles that would
influence reading.
• Do not use on disturbed
soil.
• Not soil from the spoil pile.
• Soil samples from boring are not
valid because they are
disturbed.
• Only take readings from the wall
of the trench.
How to use the Penatrometer

• Readings must be
taken only when
the soil is freshly
dug.
• No more than 5
minutes.
• Drying or dried soil
will give false
readings.
How to use the Penetrometer

• Use a smooth
constant force as you
push the tip to the
line depth into the
soil.
• Line depth
How to use the Penetrometer

• Take reading
from the ring.
How to use the Penetrometer

• You should take at

least 3 readings from
the same area (within
1 s.f.) then average
your readings.
• You should also take
multiple readings
within the excavation
as well.
• Pocket penetrometers
are not individually
calibrated.
Torsional Vane Shear Tester

• Measure a soils cohesion.

• Vanes are pressed into a
level section of
undisturbed soil.
• Turn the torsional knob
slowly and evenly until the
soil breaks.
• Cohesion measurements
need to be multiplied by 2
to give the unconfined
compressive strength.
• You should also take
multiple readings within
the excavation as well.
Manual Test

• Does the penatrometer or shearvane

determine unconfined compressive strength
at?
Probable Class Probable Class
A Soil B Soil

1.5 tsf or 0.5 -1.4 tsf 0.4 tsf or

more less

Class Class Class

A Soil B Soil C Soil
 WARNING

• Soil
classification
can vary
from the top
to the
bottom and
along the
entire length
of the
excavation.
A Soil
B Soil
C Soil
Reclassification of Soil

• If, after classifying soils and rock

deposits, the properties, factors, or
conditions affecting its classification
change in any manner, such as after a
rainstorm.
• The competent person on site shall
reclassify the soil.
Test

• Trench wall stability will change if it is

exposed to weather?

• True
• False
Test

• Previously excavated soil is less stable?

• True
• False