Page 14 - Arkansas 811 Magazine 2019 Issue 2

Trenching and excavation safety
Part two: The Importance of 0SHA’s General Requirements
Ev David V Dnw

As dz5cll55cd iii ttie Par! 1 uffhe scrles, 1(lD1'kZVIg In tieiielies and ereiinitlens is putettfltzlly Dru‘ Uffhf MUS! biizimiiiiis types ii/ieerk 17! the
(rJrI5t‘l'14L‘I1DVI rum‘! iitility 1rId1A5t‘l'_l/. Eiieli ymr, as many iis 400 l(lL}V’<?1'5 RIC kitted am‘! seeerat ttieiismiti fl1EiVI]1AV?£{ mess the u s. Most l7fH(?5?
lDOVl<(1'5 have reeeired VID frnlrling, and the Irenchcs and ().L‘laWflt‘IlJrl5 iv: niliieli iiiistiaps Ul‘l‘m' are l'cltxIi:Iel_i/ sliiittiiiii ttiiie It) 15 reet deep)

The C('rlert1lReq1tlr('vlz('rlI5 seetian Ef osl-ms 29 CFR 192», siibpiiit P 7 E).Ct1Wlt‘H7Vl5i ndrirt'55e5 ii riiiiriber Df"L‘U1llmLmSPVISCZICYIZS//1'Clt1ICI1t‘D
hcrlches and Cxrtmtzflurla

SURF“? ENCUMERANCES * “'95” have a clear and direct view of that operations. specialized slioi-ing

are desenlsed as teleplione poles, trees, Edge] wammg gygmms 7 mh H‘ ,y,yem,., b,ab,,,by D, ,md,3,P,,,m,,g my
fire hydrants street srgnsi sidewalk» barrieades, spotters, or stop logs — are be required to ensure tlie stability of
curbs and gntteni and snrnlar Dbleds required tliese struetures, and proteet employees.
adjacent to an ereavation. Tliey sliould >

be removed or supported, to insure HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERES — LOQSE SOIL OR ROCK — 5l>°rls and
their stability and sateguard employees. This section of tlie OSHA standard erlrrrprnent must be sei bath at least

is designed to proteet workers trorn two ieet from the edge ot the trench or

UNSERCROUND “"5“"-“‘T‘°“’5 so-called "bad air " coneerns lndude excavauon.

— T ese inelude underground , 1>tt1\ I 1 , ,
iiiiiwaeis, n°§'m'ma1?1‘?sS‘534s3‘2iE2“;:;;r;::;nd ‘N(5lPEClT‘ON:*é“PY°P€YlYgained
and tele lione and eleetrie lines. ’ ’ . . . . e" ""1 “mic ” Drnveteni er~dn”
Uumy Cgmpmm mm bi natural gas, and toxic gases sueli us must “pm ‘hi emvmun dad»
eontaeted witliin established pnur to the start of work; and
or customary loeal lead times, nslneeded thmnghont the
advimi of ti“ pmposed “,,,,k, I 3 ft sliiit; and aiter rainstorms;
and asked to establisli tlie 1 and frrlhrwrng other hazard-
loeation of the utilities pnor to rnereuasrng oeenrrenees U
the start of aetual excavation The Cfimfelgnt Person

All underground utilities must Less Less rnnsi c ec a laeent areasi
be proieeted, supported, ur Q Than j @ Than Q vroreenve system (before
removed to protect workers. 25 ll. 25 fl. en: dunng -rise), an; for

in ieatieris o ossi e

ACCES5 dz ECRESS ~ These eaiieins and hfizardous

are lnsi fanny words for gemng or potentially hazardous

in or out of an zxcavatlon. 4° fl cund|uOnS

Trenrlies and ereaimtions

deeper tliiin tour reet require FALL PROTECHON —

a means of mess and egress q Walkways wrih standard
EM}, “,b,ke, m..... be w.,b,,, Z5 tee, liydrogen sulfide or carbon munnxldlz. guardrails are required \‘\’1\2n

D; b lflddzxy mm D, M,‘ Tim mean. Testing and tlie use of ventllntlnn employees or equipment cross over

of mm and Egm. mu... bb wjp_}.m ,1 equipment are two of tlie most excavations. wells, pits, sliatts, ete.,
Pmmmd am Clérélmon, aid lmrsoztilnl, metlmdjlni must be barneaded or cuvcmd.

a ressin flzfl oiis or otentia v .
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC , wmkm hamdoufatmosphem P — Paying close attention In each of
Expmbd N, ym,,».,c m“... be P,mbied tliese important potential di1ngl:mu~
Web, and mus. Wm wam,,,g me, 0, WATER ACCLTMULATION 7 eireuiristanees will help insure worker
me, mg“, mbie Wmem, 5,5,“, Employees mu~t not work in trenolies satety, as‘, well as help Contmclols and
Mgnbis, bb,.,,mie5, and /D, flflgmen or exeayations wliere tliere is utilities stiiy legal \‘\’lIh OSHA. .
my also be mqumd accumulillled waterlor wtglere \‘\'al£‘r
is aeeumu atin ,un ess .i e uille
FALLING LOADS * W°r‘<Er~‘ are "01 prerautions arftiiken. Ii Ihcqcxcavallnn Edl‘t‘ur’s Note: ms is tlie seeoiid of/um‘
Perrnrtted undemearh fmrhead ‘dads work interrupts the natural flow of tzmclcs 1!! this scrles Httzt‘ diseiissessiieei/ie
in addnwn. ernl>loyee~ must stand suiiaee water, then diversion ditelies, steps Hm! eeiitmetiiis mid IAIIIIHES (/17!
away from e-lrrrvrr-en‘ berng leader‘ Dr dikes, or other means may be requlmd take tii help m51U(' the safety iifttieii
unleaded ‘mm Veh|=1e~‘- to keep water out. pcrsowlel. Dbaitmaly, this is int iieemeiii
WARNNG SYSTEMS FOR Mob” ADJACENT STRUCTURES 7 nm ofthc siitt/eet.1tis iriiiessitte to pruperly
EQUIPMENF When eqnrvnrenl stiilnlity of sidewalks, streets, adioining “W” *9 '‘’‘’'‘ "‘ "”’ "”” ’.”“"""y ‘W’
is bpbmbbi ma, mb Edge of an bmldmgm Wall‘, and mm filmdum artietes Cuttfmdurs and ittitities iiiuoleeti
mmb.b,,, and Lbe bbbmb, due. no. can b: mdmgmd by Emmmn IV! iiiideigreerid iiieivk ieitt need /Iridltlulml
training to m5lU(' mike: so/E'I_l/.
12 . Arkansas eii Miigfllme 2019, isiiee