Module 4

EXCAVATION SAFETY
RICHARD ERIC S. SANTOS
OSH Practitioner
chadsantos@gmail.com
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 OBJECTIVES

AT THE END OF THE SESSION, THE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE

ABLE TO:
1. Highlight the hazards of working in an excavation
2. Explain how to protect employees from cave-ins or soil
collapse
3. Identify the factors that pose a hazard to the employees
working in excavations
4. State the role of a competent person at an excavation site
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 INTRODUCTION

Excavation
Any man made cut
cavity, trench or
depression in an
earth surface formed
by earth removal.
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 TYPES OF EXCAVATION WORKS

OPEN EXCAVATION
• An excavation in an open ground and can
vary in shape and size
• Usually wider and is intended for
basement floors of buildings
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 TYPES OF EXCAVATION WORKS

PIT EXCAVATION
• Generally excavated to install manholes,
pump stations, or underground tanks
• To construct pile caps and other types of
foundations
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 TYPES OF EXCAVATION WORKS

TRENCH
• Is a long narrow excavation which is deeper
than it is wide, and open to the surface along
its length (no wider than 15 ft or 4.5 m)
• To install or maintain underground services

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 SPOT THE HAZARDS

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 GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS

OSH Standards
Rule 1413:
EXCAVATION
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 THINGS TO CONSIDER PRIOR TO
EXCAVATING
Identify &
Proximity of
locate Other Possible
Adjacent
underground Considerations
Structures
facilities

Adjacent Road Method of

Soil Classification
Footpaths Excavation

Carry out joint site safety inspection with

client, consultant & company representatives.
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 WHY IS EXCAVATION A HIGH RISK?

Excavation works are high risk because excavation failures

like a soil collapse occur quickly, limiting the ability of
workers to escape.

The soil that collapsed can bury or crush any person in its
path resulting in death by suffocation or internal crush
injuries
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 SAFETY RISKS IN AN EXCAVATION

• Soil collapse due to loose rock or soil

• Falls (people, materials, equipment, tools)
• Electrocution due to contact with above and
underground utilities
• Being struck by heavy equipment
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 SAFETY RISKS IN AN EXCAVATION

• Adjacent structure which may collapse

due to an ongoing excavation work
• Workers being trapped in an excavation
due to lack of access and egress
• Vehicular traffic
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Health Risks in an Excavation
Soil collapse is the most feared
excavation risk, but other potentially
fatal risks may also occur in an
excavation work:
• Asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen
(confined space condition in an
excavation)
• Inhalation of Harmful Dust, Gases,
Fumes
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Soil Testing

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 Principal Causes of Soil Collapse

Steep cutting Super-imposed Shock and

angle load vibration

No regular
Water
Drying monitoring and
accumulation
inspection!
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 Types of Soil Collapse

General Zone Spoil Piles Side Wall

of Exposure Slide Shear

Slough-in
(Cave-in) ROTATION
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 Tension Cracks

TENSION CRACKS
Usually form at a
horizontal distance of 0.5
to 0.75 times the depth of
the trench, measured
from the top of the
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 Maximum Allowable Slopes per Type of Soil

NOTE:
• This data is good for excavation less than
20 feet deep.
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 Benching
A method of protecting employees from cave-ins by:
Excavating the sides of an excavation to form one or more
series of horizontal steps with rise between steps.

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Types of Benching

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 Shoring and Timbering

The walls of every excavation over 1 m. (3 ft.) deep shall

be supported by adequate shoring and timbering to
prevent collapse, provided that this shall not apply to an
excavation:
• In which a worker is not required to enter for any purposes.
• Cut in solid rock.
• The walls are sloped to forty-five degree (45) angle from the vertical or
cut to the angle of repose.
• In which a worker is engaged in timbering or other work for the purpose
of compliance with this rule if precautions are taken to ensure his safety.
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 Shoring and Timbering

Shoring or timbering in excavation over 6.6 m. (29 ft.) deep

and those installed to prevent the movement, collapse of
an adjacent structure shall be designed by a structural
engineer.

Before shoring or timbering, the walls of an excavation shall

be stripped of loose rocks or other materials that might
slide, roll or fall on workers

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 Sizes and Spacing of Members
The length, section and spacing of timbering members shall be designed considering
the nature of soil, depth and the surroundings.

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 Shoring

Horizontal Spacing
VERTICAL
ALUMINUM Vertical Rail Hydraulic Cylinder

HYDRAULIC
Plywood
SHORING 18” Max

with Plywood Vertical Spacing

4’ Max

2’ Max
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 Shoring

HORIZONTAL Horizontal Spacing

SHORING
Upright Sheeting
18’ Max
Wale

Vertical Spacing

Hydraulic Cylinder
4’ Max

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 Shoring

ALUMINUM
HYDRAULIC SHORING
Water System
(Typical)

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 Shields (Trench Boxes)

• Intended primarily to protect TRENCH SHIELD

workers from cave-ins and

similar incidents
• Shields may not be subjected TRENCH BOX
to loads exceeding those
which the system was
designed to withstand
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 Minimum Berm, Tools Materials and Machinery

• Has Mechanical Signals

For Mobile • Provide Signals Man
Equipment • Stop logs when park
: • Grade away from
excavation

Where the disposal area is limited, a

berm of reduced width of not less than 1
m. (3 ft.) may be allowed, provided the
materials being excavated are stable, the
shoring is designed to carry the
additional load, and barriers are provided
to prevent roll back of the excavated
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 Provision for Access and Egress
1.Every excavation over 1m. (3 ft.)
deep shall be provided with means of
access and escape in case of
emergencies.
2.Every excavation shall have at least
one (1) ladder in every 50 ft. of
length or fraction thereof, of a
length, which shall extend at least 3
ft. above the top of the excavation to
provide a firm handhold when
stepping on or off the ladder..
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 Provision for Barricades

The top of the walls of

an excavation more than
2.0 m. (6 ft.) deep
shall be barricated to a
height of at least 1 m.
(3 ft.) to prevent the
fall of workers.
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Public Protection & Traffic Control

• Traffic around the site

must be controlled, and
barricaded,
• Signs and/or flag
persons used as needed
to control both vehicular
and pedestrian traffic.
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 The Competent Person
Must have a specific training in and be
knowledgeable about:

The use of protective

Soils classification
systems

Must be capable of
The requirements of the identifying hazards, and
standard authorized to immediately
eliminate hazards
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 Let us Re-evaluate: Spot the Hazards

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 Clear Points
• Types of Excavation Works include open excavation, pit excavation,
and trench
• Excavation works are high risk because excavation failures like a
soil collapse occur quickly, limiting the ability of workers to escape
• There are safety and health risks in excavation works that
need to be controlled
• The causes of soil collapse are steep cutting angle, super-
imposed load, shock and vibration, water accumulation,
drying, and lack of regular monitoring and inspection
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 Clear Points
• There are several methods to protect and excavation and prevent
soil collapse
• The type of soil should be considered in choosing the appropriate
excavation protection
• Minimum Berm for excavated material is 1/3 of the depth of the
excavation
• Tools, materials, and machineries should be kept at a safe distance
away from the edge of the excavation
• Excavation more than 2 m deep shall be barricaded to a height of
1m
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 Clear Points
• Ladders should be deployed in every 50 ft of length
• Excavation should be inspected daily by a competent person
• If there are harmful dusts, gases, or fumes, an excavation
should be tested for hazardous atmosphere using a gas
detector
• There should be public protection and traffic management
during excavation works

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Keep Safe Always
RICHARD ERIC S. SANTOS
OSH Practitioner
chadsantos@gmail.com
Image sourced from the internet, credit due to its owner