|
|
|
|
Construction Contractor A contractor constructing a rapid rail transit system was involved in trenching, excavating, and tunneling. He asked specifically for a consultation to help identify ways to protect workers in the trenching operations. Unsloped, Unshored
Trench Unsafe The consultant arrived at the site the day after a heavy rain and found 12 to 18 inches of water in the 12-foot-deep trench. The trench walls were neither shored nor sloped in the 30-foot long trench. In addition, excavated material was piled within a foot of the edge of the 5-foot-wide trench. The consultant noted several cracks in the ground around the trench opening. Several employees already were working in the trench under these clearly hazardous conditions. Workers Exit,
Trench Collapses The consultant immediately
advised the job foreman and the company safety supervisor of the Recommendations To protect workers involved in trenching operations, the consultant recommended the following measures: (1) shoring or sloping the sides of trenches, (2) providing a means of exit from the trench such as a ladder, (3) storing excavated and other materials at least 2 feet from the trench edge, (4) preventing the accumulation of water in a trench, (5) inspecting the trench daily for signs of potential collapse, and (6) training employees to work safely in a trench. Results The prompt response
of the company to the consultant’s advice probably saved several
workers’ lives. The company followed the consultant’s other
recommendations as well, including sloping the trench. This consultation
resulted in greater awareness of trenching safety through a clear-cut
demonstration of its importance. This paper appears in the eLCOSH website with the permission of the author
and/or copyright holder and may not be reproduced without their consent. eLCOSH is an
information clearinghouse. eLCOSH and its sponsors are not responsible for the accuracy of
information provided on this web site, nor for its use or misuse.
SafeWorks provides a brief summary of the results of an employer’s
request for workplace safety and health assistance. Such assistance can
identify and help the employer correct workplace hazards, develop or improve
an effective safety and health management system, or both. Small business
employers can receive this assistance, without cost, under a consultation
program funded largely by OSHA and administered by state agencies and
universities. Contact the OSHA office in your area for additional information
on the consultation program. |
imminent
danger posed by the unsafe trench. He asked that the employees evacuate
the trench right away. Following his recommendations, the employer promptly
ordered all the workers out of the trench. Ten minutes later the sides
of the trench gave way. Had any workers remained in the trench, they would
have been buried by the heavy wet soil.