Cave-ins from excavations are one of the leading causes of worker fatalities in the construction industry.
Those working in water districts are regularly required to work in and around excavations.
Follow these best practices to control the hazards associated with excavation work:
- Any excavation that is 4’ deep or more must have a method of egress. This method can be provided as
a ramp, ladder, or another safe method. It must be located not more than 25 feet from the worker - Any trench that is more than 5’ deep must have some form of protection from a cave-in. The only
exclusion would be an excavation entirely made of rock - Heavy equipment should be kept away from the edges of the trench to prevent the wall from falling in
due to the weight of the equipment or from the equipment itself falling in - Spoil piles should be kept at least 2’ from the edge of the trench, this step prevents the material from
weighing down and resulting in a wall collapse - Call OKIE811 to locate underground utilities before the start of each job
- If working in a trench that is 4’ or greater, the atmosphere should be tested before entry and then
continuously - Trench stability can change from day to day or even one shift to the next. The excavation should be reinspected
before the start of each shift - They should be re-inspected following the presence of any rain or water in the trench
