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The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific regulations
when it comes to protecting employees from cave-in related hazards while working
in trenches and excavations. The employer has several options when it comes to
protecting employees, some of which are sloping, benching, shoring, and
shielding. The specific OSHA standards can be found in 29 CFR 1926.650, .651,
and .652. These standards and an inter-active training tool, along with other
useful information, can be found on OSHA’s Web site at -
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html.
Prevent Accidents
The primary hazard of trenching and excavation is employee injury from collapse.
Soil analysis is important in order to determine appropriate sloping, benching
and shoring. Additional hazards include:
- Working with heave machinery,
- Manual handling of materials,
- Working in proximity to traffic,
- Electrical hazards from overhead and underground power lines, and
- Underground utilities such as natural gas.
For Your Safety
Each employee in a trench should always be protected from a cave-in by an
adequate protective system.
Examples of the protective systems for trenches are:
 Slope or bench trench
walls for stability, or |
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 Cut to create stepped
benched grades, or |
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  Support walls by a
system made with posts, beams, shores or planking and hydraulic
jacks, or
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Know where underground
utilities are prior to digging. |
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Keep heavy equipment
away from trench edges. |
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Keep excavated or
other materials at least two feet back from the edge of the trench.
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A
safe means of egress shall be provided within 25 feet of workers in
a trench. |
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