SUBPART P
1926.650 - 1926.652
EXCAVATIONS
copyright 1999 Sierra Safetyworks
Definition
Excavation Vs. Trench
A trench is defined as a narrow excavation
made below the surface of the ground. The
depth is normally greater than the width with
the width at the bottom of the trench being no
wider than 15
An excavation is defined as any man-made
cavity, trench, or depression in the earth
surface formed by earth removal
Therefore, it can be assumed that all
trenches are excavations, but not all
excavations are trenches
2
Do You See Safe Work
Practices in Place Here?
Do You See Safe Work
Practices in Place Here?
Do You See Safe Work
Practices in Place Here?
OSHAs GREATEST HIT$
Most Commonly Cited - 1999
1926.652(a)(1) Protection provided from cave-ins
in excavations
1926.651(k)(1) Daily inspections by competent
person of excavations & protective systems
1926.651(c)(2) Means of egress provided from
trench excavations
1926.651(j)(2) Protection from excavated material
or equipment falling into excavations
1926.651(k)(2) Competent person inspection
Employees removed from hazard
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Are These Good or Bad Examples
of Excavation Safety?
Are These Good or Bad Examples
of Excavation Safety?
Examples of Excavation
Safety?
Are These Good or Bad Examples
of Excavation Safety?
10
Major Compliance Issues of
Subpart P
Scope, Application, & Definitions (including
Competent Person) 1926.650
General Requirements
1926.651
Requirements for Protective Systems
1926.652
Appendix A - F Includes Soil classification,
sloping and benching, timber shoring,
aluminum hydraulic shoring, alternatives to
timber shoring, and selection of protective
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systems
Scope, Application & Definition
Competent Person
The single most important definition
contained in this Subpart is that of
Competent Person
A competent person is defined as one who
is capable of identifying existing and
predictable hazards in the surroundings, or
working conditions which are unsanitary,
hazardous, or dangerous to employees and
who has the authority to take prompt
corrective measures to eliminate them
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What Makes you an Excavation
Competent Person?
You MUST have specific
training in and be
knowledgeable about:
Soil Typing & analysis
The different kinds of
protective systems &
their proper use
Hazard recognition
When a registered P.E. is
required
13 P
Knowledge of Subpart
What Makes you an Excavation
Competent Person?
AND HAVE AUTHORITY
14
Did The Competent Person Do
Their Job Here?
15
Did The Competent Person Do
Their Job Here?
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Did The Competent Person Do
Their Job Here?
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Did The Competent Person Do
Their Job Here?
18
General Requirements of
Subpart P
Surface encumbrances must be supported or
removed if they pose a hazard to workers
All underground utilities or other similar type
installations must be located prior to any
excavation beginning. Those same may need
to be supported, removed or protected
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General Requirements of
Subpart P
Proper access and egress must be always
available to workers
Ramps & runways
Stairways & ladders
Required 4 or deeper
Maximum of 25 lateral travel by worker to reach
Workers exposed to vehicular traffic must
wear DOT type vests or equal
20
Are These Good or Bad Examples
of Access & Supporting Utilities?
21
Are These Good or Bad Examples
of Access & Supporting Utilities?
22
Are These Good or Bad
Examples
of Access & Supporting Utilities?
23
Excellent Examples of Supported
Utilities Excavations
24
Excellent Examples of
Supported Utilities Excavations
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Excellent Examples of
Supported Utilities Excavations
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Excellent Examples of
Supported Utilities Excavations
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Examples of Barrier Protection
Around the Excavation Perimeter
Barricades or equivalent around excavations to
keep employees from falling in
Similar measures to be taken to keep vehicles
or equipment from going into excavation
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General Requirements of
Subpart P
Workers cannot be underneath any load
handled by digging or lifting equipment
Warning systems must warn equipment
operators of excavations (I.e. barricades, etc)
Excavations must be checked for possible
hazardous atmospheres
29
General Requirements of
Subpart P
Workers must not work in excavations
that contain water
Any structure adjacent to an excavation
must be properly supported to prevent
collapse
Workers must be protected from loose
materials or soil going into the
excavation
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Good or Bad Examples?
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Good or Bad Examples?
32
Good or Bad Examples?
33
Good or Bad Examples?
34
General Requirements of
Subpart P
All excavations & any
protective equipment
used in same must be
inspected on a daily
basis by a competent
person & must occur
prior to any starting
Walkways equipped
with guardrails must be
provided where workers
or equipment cross over
35
excavations
Requirements for Protective
Systems
Any worker in an excavation shall be
protected from cave-ins by an adequate
protective system except when:
Excavation made entirely in stable rock
Excavation less than 5 deep & inspection by
competent person reveals no cave-in hazard
All protective systems to have capacity to
resist without failure all loads that are
intended or reasonably could be expected
to be applied or transmitted to the
protective system
36
Are Proper Precautions Being
Taken in These Examples?
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Are Proper Precautions Being
Taken in These Examples?
38
Are Proper Precautions Being
Taken in These Examples?
39
Design of all Protective Systems
Design of sloping &
benching systems
All sloped 1.5/1(34o)
Appendix A & B
Tabulated data
Design by P.E.
Materials & Equipment
All approved by competent
person
Manufactured equipment
used per mfrs. Specs
unless approved in writing
Design of support,
shield, & other
protective systems
Timber shoring to be
per appendix A & C
Mfrs. Tabulated data
for support or shields
Hydraulic shoring per
mfr or appendix D
All tabulated data kept
on site during work
Design by registered
P.E. & kept on site
40
A Good Example of an
Engineered Shoring Plan
Conventional sloping wouldnt work because of
adjacent buildings & road that had to remain open
Existing utilities were located and supported
P.E. shoring plan followed exactly
41
Subpart P
Appendix A Requirements
Classification of soil & rock deposits
All rock & soil deposits must be classified
by a competent person as either stable
rock, type A, type B, or type C
These classifications must be made on the
basis of at least 1 visual & 1 manual test
Visual Tests
Manual Tests
Particle size
Pocket penetrometer
spalling & fissures
roll test(cohesiveness)
water presence
sedimentation test42
Soil Classification
Type A Soil
Cohesive soil with an
unconfined compressive
strength of 3000# per
sq. foot or greater
Clay, silty clay, cemented
soils (non-granular)
Cannot be Type A if:
Unstable dry rock
Previously disturbed soil
Is fissured
Subject to vibration
layered with slope > 4/1
43
Soil Classification
Type B Soil
Cohesive soil with an
unconfined compressive
strength of 1000-3000#
per square foot
Granular cohesionless
soils: silt, silt loam, sandy
loam
Can be Type B soil if:
Unstable dry rock
Type A fissured or subject
to vibration
Layered with slope < 4/1
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Soil Classification
Type C Soil
Cohesive soil with an
unconfined compressive
strength of < 1000 # per
square foot
Granular soils including
gravel, sand & loamy sand
Must be Type C soil if:
Submerged soil or soil from
which water is weeping
Unstable submerged rock
Any previously disturbed soil
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(previously excavated)
Would You Work in These
Trench Boxes?
46
Would You Work in These
Trench Boxes?
47
Would You Work in These
Trench Boxes?
48
Good and Bad Examples of Trench
and Excavation Protection
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Good and Bad Examples of Trench
and Excavation Protection
50
Good and Bad Examples of Trench
and Excavation Protection
51
Good and Bad Examples of Trench
and Excavation Protection
52
An Excellent Example of all
Facets of Excavation Safety
Good example of shoring /lagging
Good guardrail system around upper perimeter
Good impalement protection at lower grade
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