Module 3

EXCAVATION AND TRENCHING

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 What You Will Learn

►Important facts about excavation

and trenching
►Important terms relating to
excavation and trenching

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 What You Will Learn—continued

►OSHA regulations relating to

excavation and trenching
►How to identify practices that
protect you at an excavation site

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 What You Will Learn—continued

►How to find hazards at work that

could cause an excavation or
trenching injury
►How to identify behaviors that
could cause injuries at an
excavation site
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 Find the Excavation/Trenching Hazards

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Photo courtesy of the Construction Safety Council
 Did You Know?
►About 1,000 workers get hurt every year
by excavation cave-ins.
►Of these, 140 cause permanent
disability, 75 cause death.
►The rate of deaths in
excavation is 112%
higher than the rate for
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general construction. 3-6
 Did You Know?

►38% of all excavation incidents are due

to cave-ins.
►Trenches tend to collapse very quickly,
leaving no time to react.

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 Did You Know?
►37% of all trenching incidents occur at
depths of less than 5 feet.
►Small construction projects of under
$50,000 cause most of the cave-in deaths.

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 Terms

►Excavation
►Trench
►Spoils
►Cave-In
►Confined Space
►Soil Sample

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 Protection Systems

►Benching System
►Sloping System
►Shoring System
►Shield System

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 Competent Person

A competent person is
someone who is trained
and qualified to make decisions
based on science and engineering.

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 Quiz Question #1

TRUE OR FALSE?
Because trenches are outdoors, it is not
necessary to be concerned about
hazardous air. The outdoor air will
neutralize any bad air in the trench.

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 Quiz Question #1
FALSE
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.57
When dusts, fumes, mists, vapors
or gases are produced, they must
be handled to prevent a hazardous
situation in the trench .
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 Quiz Question #2

TRUE OR FALSE?
If you are working in a trench
where there are only a few inches
of water, you are permitted to
work in the trench.

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 Quiz Question #2
FALSE
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651(h)(1)
Employees shall not work in a trench
where water is standing or accumulating,
unless there is a system to remove the
water, or the employee uses a safety
harness and lifeline.
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 Quiz Question #3

TRUE OR FALSE?
If an excavation needs a ramp for
entering and exiting, anyone on the
construction crew can be assigned to
find a ramp and put it in place.

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 Quiz Question #3
FALSE
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651(c)(1)(i)
Structural ramps at excavations
much be designed by a competent
person and constructed in
accordance with the design.
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 Quiz Question #4

TRUE OR FALSE?
When a construction crew digs for
an excavation, it is okay to pile the
dirt that is dug up (the spoils) right at
the edge of the excavation.

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 Quiz Question #4
FALSE
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2)
The spoils of an excavation must be
kept at least two feet from the edge
of the excavation.

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 Quiz Question #5

TRUE OR FALSE?
A competent person has the authority
to evacuate an excavation site if that
person believes the site is exposing
employees to unsafe conditions such
as a possible cave-in or hazardous air.
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 Quiz Question #5
TRUE
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651(k)(2)
The competent person has authority
to evacuate an excavation site if it is
exposing employees to unsafe
conditions such as a possible cave-in
or hazardous air.
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 What are Your Best Practices?

With spoil placement at

excavations

With general work practices at

excavations

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 The Worksite Analysis

1. Identify your work space.

2. Look for hazards.

3. Use a checklist to identify hazards.

4. Discuss problems and corrections

with supervisor.
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 Excavation/Trenching Hazards—Case #1

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Photo courtesy of the Construction Safety Council
 Excavation/Trenching Hazards—Case #2

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Photo courtesy of the Construction Safety Council
 Excavation/Trenching Hazards—Case #3

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Photo courtesy of Associated General Contractors of
 Excavation/Trenching Hazards—Case #4

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Photo courtesy of Associated General Contractors of America
 Concerns at Your Worksite
Give examples of how a worker’s
behavior could create an excavation or
trenching hazard.

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