Safety for Excavation and

Trenching
 Contents
• Introduction

• Difference between Excavation & Trench

• Safety Tips for Excavation & Trenching
• Specific Requirements for Excavation & Trenching

• Use of Protective Systems

• References
 Introduction
• Trenching and excavating are a regular part of
construction operations and are required for a
wide range of construction projects

• According to the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) trenching is a leading
jobsite hazard which causes an average of 54
fatalities each year.* Understanding the risks and
practicing the safety tips associated with trenching
and excavating can help you prevent bodily injury
and fatalities

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, reported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/trenching/
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Difference between Excavation &
Trench
Excavation:
Any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth
surface formed by earth removal

Trench:
A trench is a type of narrow excavation in which the depth is
typically greater than the width, which does not exceed 15 feet

 All trenches are excavations, but not all excavations are

trenches. The specific safety requirements for trenches
depend on the depth of the trench

Excavation Trench 4
Safety Tips for Excavation & Trenching
To reduce the risk of on the job injuries at excavation sites.
Employers should ensure that Following safety tips as per
OSHA standards should be practiced by the workers:
• Know where underground utilities are located before
digging
• Keep excavated soil (spoils) and other materials at
least 2 feet (0.61 meters) from trench edges
• Keep heavy equipment away from trench edges
• Identify any equipment or activities that could affect
trench stability
• Test for atmospheric hazards such as low oxygen,
hazardous fumes, and toxic gases when workers are
more than 4 feet deep

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Safety Tips for Excavation & Trenching

• Inspect trenches at the start of each shift

• Inspect trenches following a rainstorm or other
water intrusion
• Inspect trenches after any occurrence that could
have changed conditions in the trench
• Do not work under suspended or raised loads and
materials
• Ensure that personnel wear high-visibility or other
suitable clothing when exposed to vehicular traffic

Did you know?

The rate of deaths
in excavation is
112% higher than
the rate for general
construction

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Specific Requirements for Excavation
& Trenching
Before starting any excavation, OSHA require employers
to take following specific measures to protect workers
from hazards:
• Identify & mark the utility locations prior to opening an
excavation

• Remove all surface encumbrances to safeguard

employees

• Place a safety sign /barrier around the excavation site

to mark the fall hazard

• Designate a flagger/spotter to direct the mobile

equipment operator and to prevent the vehicle from
falling in the trench
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Specific Requirements for Excavation
& Trenching
• Workers should wear a reflective vest to make
themselves visible to mobile equipment operator

• Ladder/ramp/stairway must be located in the trench

which are more than 4 feet in depth

• Utilize barricades/stop logs to see the edge of

excavation

• Availability of emergency rescue equipment where

hazardous atmospheric conditions exist

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Specific Requirements for Excavation
& Trenching

• Water accumulation & soil classification to be

performed by a designated professional

• Use of protective systems to ensure the stability of the

structures

• Potential testing of hazardous atmosphere before &

during excavation

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Use of Protective Systems
Different types of protective system, designed by professional
engineer to protect the workers from cave-ins are described as
follows:

o Sloping – involves cutting the trench’s wall at an inclined

angle away from the excavation

o Shoring – requires the installation of an aluminum

hydraulic or other supports to prevent cave-ins

o Shielding – protects your workers by using supports

such as trench boxes to avoid cave-ins

o Benching – protects the workers from cave-ins by

excavating the sides of an excavation to form one or a
series of horizontal levels or steps, usually with vertical or
near vertical surfaces between levels

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References
[1] https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2226.pdf

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/trenching/

[3]https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/trench_ex
cavation_fs.pdf

[4] https://www.osha.gov/laws-
regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.651

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Questions?

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