What are the OSHA requirements for trenches?

OSHA requires employers to provide ladders, steps, ramps, or other safe means of egress for workers working in trench excavations 4 feet (1.22 meters) or deeper. The means of egress must be located so as not to require workers to travel more than 25 feet (7.62 meters) laterally within the trench.

What should a safe trenching policy ensure?

Keep excavated soil (spoils) and other materials at least 2 feet (0.6 meters) from trench edges. Know where underground utilities are located before digging. Test for atmospheric hazards such as low oxygen, hazardous fumes and toxic gases when > 4 feet deep. Inspect trenches at the start of each shift.

What two requirements must be met so that a trench does not need to have a protective system installed?

The standard does not require the installation and use of a protective system when an excavation (1) is made entirely in stable rock, or (2) is less than 5 feet deep and a competent person has examined the ground and found no indication of a potential cave-in.

At what depth does a trench require shoring?

five feet deep
Depth of trench If the trench is five feet deep or more it must be shored or sloped. If there is a possibility of soil movement, even shallower trenches have to be shored.

What is the safety code of excavation?

1 No person shall work in any excavation, shaft, or earthwork, unless all timbering and plant used therein are inspected by a competent person before work is started and also after explosives have been used in or near the excavation, shaft or earthwork.

Is a trench a confined space OSHA?

A trench isn’t considered a confined space except in these circumstances. OSHA requires employers to follow set procedures whenever their employees are working inside a confined space.

What are 5 things you should look for when inspecting a trench?

Soil Distress

• Fissures or cracks on excavation face.
• Slumping of material, soil or rock, from excavation face.
• Bulging or heaving of material at the bottom of the excavation wall that could mean the soil is about to come into the trench.
• The edge of the trench begins to sink.

What precautions should be taken during excavation of foundation trenches?

03. Safety Precaution while Excavation Work:

• Prepare firm and broad approach road.
• The nail should not be lying around, after the completion of layout work.
• Barricade the site to restrict the entry of animal and the unauthorised person on site.
• Ensure that workers are wearing personal protective equipment.

What are some hazards associated with trenches?

Trench and Excavation Hazards

• Cave-ins or collapses that can trap workers.
• Equipment or excavated soil falling on workers (e.g., equipment operated or soil/debris stored too close to the excavation).
• Falling into the trench or excavation.
• Flooding or water accumulation.

What is the basic types of shoring?

There are two basic types of shoring, timber and aluminum hydraulic.

When a trench is 4 feet or more in depth?

A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress shall be located in trench excavations that are 4 feet (1.22 m) or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet (7.62 m) of lateral travel for employees.

At what depth is a registered engineer needed to design a protective system for a trench?

20 feet
As you noted, Appendix F states that a registered professional engineer (RPE) must design protective systems for excavations deeper than 20 feet.

What are the OSHA requirements for a trench?

OSHA standards dictate that employers must provide easy modes of access and egress to the trench — such as ladders or ramps — for trenches deeper than four feet. The entrances and exits must also be at least within 25 feet of an employee at all times.

What are the safety precautions for trenching?

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.

What is the OSHA priority goal for trenching?

SLOPE IT. SHORE IT. SHIELD IT. OSHA has made reducing trenching and excavation hazards the Agency’s Priority Goal. Trench collapses, or cave-ins, pose the greatest risk to workers’ lives. To prevent cave-ins:

How deep does a trench need to be for waterproofing?

If there is anything less than 5 feet, it is up to a competent person’s discretion to determine if there is a need for a protective system. A trench with a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) or greater needs a protective system.