"Workers are at risk of death from cave-ins during trenching and excavation activities. NIOSH recommends engineering controls, protective equipment, and safe work practices to minimize hazards for workers. Workers who dig or excavate trenches are at risk of death if they enter an unprotected trench and the walls collapse. However, hazards associated with trench work and excavation are well defined and preventable. The OSHA standard for excavation and trenching, known as 29 CFR* 1926 Subpart P, describes the precautions needed for safe excavation work. There is no reliable warning when a trench fails. The walls can collapse suddenly, and workers will not have time to move out of the way. Even though small amounts of dirt may not seem treacherous, a single cubic yard of dirt can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, which can fatally crush or suffocate workers [Deatherage et al. 2004]. Even small, solid pieces of dirt can cause serious injuries. From 2000-2009, 350 workers died in trenching or excavation cave-ins-an average of 35 fatalities per year [BLS 2010]. Most incidents involve excavation work or 'water, sewer, pipeline, and communications and power-line construction' [CDC 2004]. An analysis of OSHA data from 1997-2001 showed that 64% of fatalities in trenches occurred at depths of less than 10 feet [Arboleda and Abraham 2004]. Lack of a protective system was the leading cause of trench-related fatalities in a review of OSHA inspections [Deatherage et al. 2004]. OSHA requires that all excavations 5 feet deep or greater make use of one of the following protective system options (see Figure 1): (1) sloping the ground; (2) benching the ground; (3) shoring the trench with supports such as planking or hydraulic jacks, or (4) shielding the trench (using a trench box). Workers should never enter a trench that does not have a protective system in place designed and installed by a competent person. Factors such as type of soil, water content of soil, environmental conditions, proximity to previously backfilled excavations, weight of heavy equipment or tools, and vibrations from machines and motor vehicles can greatly affect soil stability and the hazards that workers face. When the sides of trenches are shored, the type of soil and width and depth of the trench affect how far apart the supports should be spaced. Different OSHA regulations apply to the different types of supports used for shoring. Consult 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P Appendices C and D for more information. Appendix F provides a flow diagram for making decisions. Section V, Chapter 2 of the OSHA Technical Manual provides a guide on recognizing and preventing trenching and shoring hazards." - NIOSHTIC-2

Addressing the most common causes of excavation, trenching, and shoring violations, Excavation Safety provides you with the insight you need to ensure compliance and protect workers' lives and company investments. The author provides step-by-step methods for restricting workers from hazardous areas, providing egress from excavations, protecting workers from materials and equipment, selecting competent people to perform self-inspections, and ensuring a protection system is in place. The first part of the book explains the hazards of the excavation site and the need for safe work practices. The second part contains all relevant OSHA standards as well as extensive notes, annotations, and comments. You will learn which actions should be taken at each site to eliminate serious injury, work delays, and additional costs. Such actions include evaluating soil conditions and structure, designing support systems to guard against cave-ins, and conducting self audits to detect potential problems. You will also examine pre-site considerations, including educating workers about unmarked, undetected underground utility lines, identifying employer responsibilities, and establishing a training program based on OSHA's model of voluntary training guidelines. Each chapter includes a content summary for quick reference, and the included case studies provide examples of common excavation errors and the corrective actions required to fix them.

NIOSH alerts originally issued Oct. 1980-Dec. 1986; reprinted as a set Sept. 1987; reprinted again 1996.

Cumulative catalog of all National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) numbered publications, health hazard evaluations (HHE) and technical assistance (TA) reports, contract reports, and other educational and training materials.