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.
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What is a good safety practice when working around trenches?
Trenches deeper than 5 feet need to have a protective system in place unless they are made of stable rock. Don’t place any excavated soil/material within 2 feet of the trench edge. Don’t stand near any vehicle being loaded or unloaded. Always wear proper safety equipment.
What are 3 protective measures that can be used in trenches?
Staying protected
- Sloping (or benching). Cutting back the trench wall at an angle inclined away from the excavation.
- Shoring. Installing aluminum hydraulics or other types of supports to prevent cave-ins.
- Shielding. Using trench boxes or other supports to prevent cave-ins.
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.
What are the four trench hazards?
The hazards include:
- Cave-ins or collapses that can trap or crush workers.
- Equipment or excavated soil falling on workers (e.g., equipment is operated or soil and debris is stored too close to the excavation).
- Falling into the trench or excavation.
- Flooding or water accumulation.
Is a trench a confined space OSHA?
While a trench or other excavation may seem to fit within the definition of a confined space per the Federal OSHA permit-required confined space entry standards, the answer is “No, trenches and other excavations are not regulated by OSHA as permit-required confined spaces”.
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 depth of trench does OSHA require fall protection?
Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater require a protective system unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. If less than 5 feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required.
What is the first thing to consider when working in a trench?
What you need to do. The law says you must prevent danger to workers in or near excavations. To maintain the required precautions, a competent person must inspect excavation supports or battering at the start of the working shift and at other specified times. No work should take place until the excavation is safe.
What is trench safety equipment?
Trench Safety Equipment – Aluminum Trench Boxes, Hydraulic Shores, Slide Rail, Steel Trench Boxes, Manhole Trench Boxes, Spreaders and Arches, Road Plates, Fall Protection. Gas Clip Monitors.
What is the OSHA standard for excavation?
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 is the OSHA definition of a trench?
“Trench (Trench excavation)” means a narrow excavation (in relation to its length) made below the surface of the ground. In general, the depth is greater than the width, but the width of a trench (measured at the bottom) is not greater than 15 feet (4.6 m).
At what depth is benching required?
Sloping and Benching
Sloping, benching, or other approved cave-in protection systems must be utilized in excavations 5 feet or greater in depth. For excavations greater than 20 ft depth, the slope or bench shall be designed by a registered professional engineer.
What are the common rules to be followed in excavation?
Excavations shall have at least one ladder per 15 m of length in case of hazardous work and per 30 m of length in case of less hazardous works. Every part of a trench, in public areas, fences, guards or barricades shall be provided to prevent any accidents. Excavation areas shall be adequately lighted for night work.
Is code for trench excavation?
4.13 No excavation or earthwork below the level of any foundation of building or structure shall be commenced or continued unless adequate steps are taken to prevent danger to any person employed, from collapse of the structure or fall of any part thereof.
What are the two key risks that are associated to trenches?
There are known hazards and risks associated with trench construction and excavation. These include trench collapses, cave-ins and side wall deterioration, of these known risks, trench collapse is the most common.
What does OSHA consider confined space?
A confined space also has limited or restricted means for entry or exit and is not designed for continuous occupancy. Confined spaces include, but are not limited to, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, pits, manholes, tunnels, equipment housings, ductwork, pipelines, etc.
Are trench boxes considered a confined space?
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.
Is a trench box confined space?
Ditches, wells, and trenches may also be a confined space when access or egress is limited (but they still have “blue sky” above). Barges, shipping containers and fish holds are also considered as possible confined spaces.
When should a trench be supported?
If you’re figuring out when to use a trench box- if an excavation is more than 5 feet, or 1.5 metres deep, then shoring equipment is needed by legal requirement. In some instances, trenches shallower than this may also need shoring equipment installed if decided so by a competent person.
How is trench depth measured?
The depth of single high-aspect-ratio trenches and the step height of opaque materials can be measured. Deep trenches (50-225 μm) are measured with a white light interferometer. Shallower trenches and step height profiles are measured with a chromatic white light sensor.