PRACTICAL NO.

04

Identify the substructure construction

activities and safety precautions for
excavating Foundation.
Introduction:

 Excavation is the first activity that is carried out at any

construction site. Manual excavation is done with the use of
pickaxe and shovel. However, excavation methods are fast
becoming mechanised. Soil Excavation
 Most places today provide basement parking, sometimes even two
basement parking. In order to provide this facility, excavation
needs to be more than seven to nine meters, and this demands high
levels of care and precautions in and around the excavation area.
 Excavation work, as such, appears simple. Use of earth-moving
machinery has reduced manual labour and work time to a
considerable extent. Nevertheless, it is as hazardous as any other
construction operation. About 10 % of the total number of on-site
accidents occur during excavation work. Therefore, due attention
is required to comply with safety measures.
(a) Why Accidents Happen?
• Most accidents occur due to collapse of weak layer of
soil or because of drying/shrinkage of soil due to loss of
moisture.
• Accidents also happen when the excavation is carried
out beyond the depth of foundations of the existing
buildings nearby. This exposes the foundations of
existing buildings, and with no margins left, the soil
starts caving in, leading to major disasters. House and
Soil Collapse Due to Excavation
• While excavating you may also come across utility lines
like electrical cables or gas lines. If you are not cautious
enough, you may hit them leading to big problems.
(b) Pre-Excavation Planning

Workers Marking Layout of Excavation

• Obtain the necessary drawings and clearly mark out the location of temporary
structures, storage area and the actual construction site
• Fencing Around Construction Site
• Provide fencing, gates, access roads, water and electrical power supply lines,
drinking water and sanitary facilities, and site office
• Locate previously installed underground utilities. Divert them temporarily or
permanently, or provide for their protection during the progress of the work
• Obtain information about the sub-soil strata and underground water table level
well in advance, including depth and area of excavation
• Obtain information about the estimated quantity of the excavation, and the
manpower, machinery that can be deployed
• Decide the stage- by stage completion dates for various structures
• Make sure all legal permissions have been obtained before starting the
excavation
• Ensure that the necessary safety appliances, personal protection equipment and
First Aid facility are available on site
(c) Standard Safe Work Method
 Once all the above-mentioned information is collected, the work-method
is decided upon and incorporated in the project. A specific safety plan
and manual should be created for constant guidance of the site staff. The
excavation team should be specially briefed about the same through a
training session
 The supervisor should include the work method and safety manual in his
tool box briefing sessions, and perform regular rounds to ensure that the
excavation work is carried out appropriately as per the requirements of
the location and type of soil
 There are four types of locations:
 Open excavation work for structures at ground level for individual
footings
 Open excavation work for structures at ground level for
raft/basement, etc.
 Excavation work in or near waterbodies i.e. near lakes, rivers, etc.
 Excavation work adjacent to existing buildings
 Underground excavation work for structures like tunnel and power
house
(d) Requisites for Implementing Safe Work
Method
 The team of workers should be physically fit, and should have
technical skills, trade-skills, safety awareness, safety skills, and
human relation skills.
 The machinery, plant and equipment, the appliances and tools
should be in a well-maintained condition. The operators should
have a valid license, and the guard and slingers should be skilled
and experienced.
 The supervisor should be competent, that is, he should have the
qualification and appropriate training, experience and also
authority from the employer. He should be well versed in the
documentation system.
(e) Hazards and Safety Measure
Hazards at construction sites, are of two types:

 Construction activity-related hazards: The relevant safety

measures are included in the safety manual
 Site-related or location-related hazards:
 The relevant safety measures are as follows:
(I) Proper use of personal protective equipment
(II) Good and effective housekeeping system
(III) Effective training to all site staff regarding emergency action
plans
(IV) Training in emergency lifesaving aid and first aid to injured
people
(f) Precautions:
 When you excavate a large area or a raft foundation or if the basement and
depth of excavation is more than 3.0 to 4.0 m in loose soil, it is
compulsory to provide benches that are 1.0 to 1.5 m wide or steps at every
1.5 to 2.5 m depth depending upon the type of soil, so that the earth does
not collapse
 Always maintain sufficient margin from the adjacent property or
compound wall, so that any collapse of soil does not endanger the
structure. If the soil is bad and the depth of excavation is more, always put
benches/steps. Even after benching, avoid the temptation to excavate the
whole site. Instead, do it in phases so that there is less risk. If no margin is
available, diaphragm wall is the option to be explored
 Never start excavation work unless your ‘cut’ steel is ready and you have
adequate manpower for shutter, steel and concrete work
 Keep away all equipment from the site that vibrates heavily like mixture
machine, lift, etc.
 Keep all safety equipment, tools, etc. available on the site and see that
they are properly used
 Maintain proper barricading so that stray animals do no fall into the
excavation area
 Provide a proper path from where one can come up quickly and easily on
ground in case of emergency
(g) Excavation Adjacent to Existing Building
In a crowded city you may often have to excavate adjacent to an existing building, which may
even be a high-rise. In such cases, maintain the following precautions:
 Excavation Near Existing Building
 Do not excavate beyond the depth of foundation of the existing building. In case you
have to do it for a few centimeters, do not keep it exposed for more than one working day
and complete sand filling, PCC etc., as soon as you reach the full depth of excavation.
Complete concreting of footing and column on emergency basis and start refilling within
24-36 hours without losing time
 Never excavate more than one pit at a time. Carry out excavation for columns, one
column at a time. Start excavation of the next pit only after you have completely refilled
the pit excavated up to plinth and with adequate watering
 Never expose large area at a time, so always excavate alternate columns at a time. i.e.
Never do, excavation for two adjacent columns at a time.
 In case the existing building is a load bearing one and the depth of foundation is not too
much, you will have to be extremely cautious. Never excavate more than one pit at a
time.
 Always keep stock of sand or earth at site, so that in case of emergency you can
immediately fill and save major disasters
 If the adjacent house has an old wooden frame, provide adequate propping with steel
props under the proper guidance of a structural engineer
 Do shoring and strutting when the excavated soil consists of trenches or when working
with black cotton soil or silt
(h) Excavation Near River, Lakes & Waterbodies
the excavation foundation is adjacent to a river, lake or any waterbody, start work only after careful
If

planning.
 Always assure that you provide margin as required under law
 If it is a big river, decide the depth of foundation in consultation with a geotechnical engineer as
well as a structural engineer, based on the scour depth of the river, type of riverbed soil and highest
flood level
 Plan for best possible river and embankment protection
 Make sure that the water does not rush from the waterbody. Maintain earth which act as bunds
 Avoid excavation during monsoon, particularly in rivers where there are possibilities of flash flood
 Don’t do work nor decide the depth of foundation without proper geotechnical investigation.
 (i) Supervision: Inspection and Documentation
(I) Supervision
 It is the statutory responsibility of the employer to provide constant and adequate supervision.
 Under the employer’s guidance, the project manager/supervisor is the key person to ensure that the
work is carried out with due regard for quality, progress, estimate-cost and, above all, safety.
 The project manager/supervisor should fully utilize the guidance of the safety officer. He should
keep up the skill level of the workers by identifying and fulfilling their training needs.
 He should also keep them motivated by providing a work environment which satisfies their
human needs. He should remember, a participative and persuasive attitude is more faithful than a
punitive attitude for maintaining safety and discipline at site.
II) Inspection and Documentation:

 Building Inspector
 For daily supervision work, the
supervisor should maintain a daily report.
It should contain the particulars of all the
technical aspects of the excavation work,
the safety status of the site and the
actions taken to ensure safety.
A weekly inspection register of
excavation work is mandatory. This
record and documentation are important
to prove that you have taken all practical
steps to prevent accidents, in case there
are any legal requirements or
emergencies.
(j) Back Filling
Backfilling of Earth Soil
 The excavated pit or area should be filled up to the ground level as soon as the
constructed structure permits back filling
 Before back filling ensure that all underground utilities are properly
joined/supported and need no further protection
 60 cm thick rubble/gravel packing should be provided behind retaining walls,
before back filling, to permit drainage of water through the weep holes in the
retaining wall
 The back-filling material should be spread in layers, watered and consolidated,
to avoid settlement at a later date. The ground may, thereafter, be turfed or
paved
 In case of large open excavation work like open cast mines, back filling should
not to be done. The whole periphery should be fenced as per ‘miner rules’
 In collieries, after completing the mining operation, the tunnels should be
packed with sand
 As per ‘IBC (international building code)’ the excavation outside the foundation
shall be backfilled with soil that is free of organic material, construction debris,
cobbles and boulders or a controlled low-strength material (CLSM). The
backfill shall be placed in lifts and compacted, in a manner that does not
damage the foundation or the waterproofing or damp proofing material
Thank You ...