GROUNDWORK

Almostallconstructionworkinvolvessomeformofexcavation(for
foundations,drains,sewersetc)
Everyyearpeoplearekilledorseriouslyinjuredwhileworkingin
excavations.
Manyarekilledorinjuredbycollapsesandfallingmaterials,othersare
killedorinjuredwhentheycontactundergroundoroverheadservices.

itisquitecommonforonecubicmetre ofsoiltocollapseintoan
unsupportedexcavation,andthiscanweighasmuchasonetonne.

Beforedigginganytrenches,pits,tunnels,orotherexcavations,decide
whattemporarysupportwillberequiredandplantheprecautionsthat
aregoingtobetakenagainst:
collapseofthesides;
peopleandvehiclesfallingintotheexcavation;
materialsfallingontopeopleworkingintheexcavation;
underminingnearbystructures;
undergroundandoverheadservices;and
theinflowofgroundandsurfacewater.

Collapseofthesides

Theneedforadequatesupportwilldependonthetypeofexcavation,the
natureofthegroundandthegroundwaterconditions.
Preventthesidesfromcollapsingbysupportingthemwithsheetingor
proprietarysupportsystems.Installsupportwithoutdelayasthe
excavationprogresses.Neverworkaheadofthesupportorremoveit
prematurely.Theworkshouldbedirectedbyacompetentsupervisor.Give
theworkersclearinstructions.

AnyunsupportedexcavationwillbesafewithoutsupportONLYifitssides
arebatteredbacksufficiently,oriftheexcavationisinsoundrock.
Batteringbackthesidesofanexcavationtoasafeangleisasimpleand
acceptablemeansofpreventinginstability.Ingranularsoilstheangleof
slopeshouldbelessthanthenaturalangleofreposeofthematerialbeing
excavated.Inwetgroundaconsiderablyflatterslopewillberequired.

6mMax.

[OSHA:Occupational
SafetyandHealth
Administration]

TypeASoils arecohesivesoilswithanunconfinedcompressivestrengthof144kPa or
greater.ExamplesofTypeAcohesivesoilsareoften:clay,silty clay,sandyclay,clayloamand,
insomecases,silty clayloamandsandyclayloam.(NosoilisTypeAifitisfissured,issubject
tovibrationofanytype,haspreviouslybeendisturbed,ispartofasloped,layeredsystem
wherethelayersdipintotheexcavationonaslopeof4horizontalto1vertical(4H:1V)or
greater,orhasseepingwater.
TypeBSoils arecohesivesoilswithanunconfinedcompressivestrengthgreaterthan48kPa
butlessthan144kPa.ExamplesofotherTypeBsoilsare:angulargravel;silt;siltloam;
previouslydisturbedsoilsunlessotherwiseclassifiedasTypeC;soilsthatmeetthe
unconfinedcompressivestrengthorcementationrequirementsofTypeAsoilsbutare
fissuredorsubjecttovibration;dryunstablerock;andlayeredsystemsslopingintothe
trenchataslopelessthan4H:1V(onlyifthematerialwouldbeclassifiedasaTypeBsoil).
TypeCSoils arecohesivesoilswithanunconfinedcompressivestrengthof48kPa orless.
OtherTypeCsoilsincludegranularsoilssuchasgravel,sandandloamysand,submergedsoil,
soilfromwhichwaterisfreelyseeping,andsubmergedrockthatisnotstable.Alsoincluded
inthisclassificationismaterialinasloped,layeredsystemwherethelayersdipintothe
excavationorhaveaslopeoffourhorizontaltoonevertical(4H:1V)orgreater.

Cohesive ornoncohesive:PlasticityorWetThreadTest.
Thistestisconductedbymoldingamoistsampleofthesoilintoaballand
attemptingtorollitintoathinthreadapproximately3mmindiameter
(thick)by50mminlength.Thesoilsampleisheldbyoneend.Ifthe
sampledoesnotbreakortear,thesoilisconsideredcohesive.

ThumbPenetrationTest

Thethumbpenetrationprocedureinvolvesanattempttopressthethumb
firmlyintothesoilinquestion.
Ifthethumbmakesanindentationinthesoilonlywithgreatdifficulty,the
soilisprobablyTypeA.
Ifthethumbpenetratesnofurtherthanthelengthofthethumbnail,itis
probablyTypeBsoil,andifthethumbpenetratesthefulllengthofthe
thumb,itisTypeCsoil.
Thethumbtestissubjectiveandisthereforetheleastaccurate.

Benching

Allow incohesive soil only

Example oftypeBsoil
Max.benchheigh:1.5mfortypeAsoilsand1.2mfortypeBsoil

Peopleandvehiclesfallingintoexcavations

Preventpeoplefromfallingbyguardingexcavations.Edgesofexcavations
shouldbeprotectedwithsubstantialbarrierswherepeopleareliableto
fallintothem.

Preventvehiclesfromfallingintoexcavationsbykeepingthemoutofthe
area.Vehiclespassingclosetotheedgesofexcavationsmayalsooverload
thesides,leadingtocollapse.Wherenecessary,usebaulksorbarriersto
keepvehiclesawayfromexcavatededges.Baulksandbarriersarebest
paintedormarkedtomakesuretheycanbeseenbydrivers.

Wherevehicleshavetotipmaterialsintoexcavations,preventthemfrom
overrunningintotheexcavationbyusingproperlysecuredstopblocks.
Thesemustbeplacedatasufficientdistancefromtheedgeofthe
excavationtoavoidthedangeroftheedgebreakingawayunderthe
weightofthevehicle.Thesidesoftheexcavationmayalsorequireextra
support.

Materialsfallingintoexcavations

Donotparkplantandvehiclesorstoreexcavatedspoilandother
materialsclosetothesidesofexcavations.Theextraloadingsfromspoil,
vehiclesetccanmakethesidesofexcavationsmorelikelytocollapse.
Loosematerialsmayfallfromspoilheapsintotheexcavation.Edge
protectionshouldincludetoeboardsorothermeans,suchasprojecting
trenchsheetsorboxsidestoprotectagainstfallingmaterials.Head
protectionshouldbeworn.

2ft=60cm

18=0.45m

Underminingnearbystructures

Makesureexcavationsdonotunderminethescaffoldfootings,buried
servicesorthefoundationsofnearbybuildingsorwalls.
Manygardenorboundarywallshaveveryshallowfoundationswhichare
easilyunderminedbyevensmalltrenches,causingthewalltocollapse
ontothoseworkinginthetrench.
Beforediggingstarts,decideifextrasupportforthestructureisneeded.
Surveysofthefoundationsandtheadviceofastructuralengineermaybe
required.

Undergroundandoverheadservices

Manyseriousaccidentshaveoccurredwhenburiedserviceshavebeen
damagedduringexcavationwork.Inparticular,contactwithanyelectricity
cablescanresultinexplosionandburnstothoseinthevicinity.Escaping
gaswhichignitescancauseseriousinjuryand/orpropertydamageasa
resultoffireandexplosion.
Burnsandelectrocutioncanresultifraisedtippertruckbodiesor
excavatorstouchorcomecloseenoughtooverheadpowerlinestocause
arcing.Thereisarisktoallthoseclosetotheitemofplantwhichbecomes
live,aswellastotheoperator.Theneedtoundertakeexcavationwork
closetoorbelowsuchlinesshouldbeverycarefullyconsideredand
avoidedwherepossible.

Otheraspectsofexcavationsafety

Provideasafemeansofgettingintoandoutofanexcavation.Ifarisk
assessmentidentifiesthatladdersareareasonablemeansofaccessand
egressfromanexcavation,theymustbesuitableandofsufficientstrength
forthepurpose.Theymustbeonafirmlevelbase,securedtoprevent
slippingand,unlessasuitablealternativehandholdisprovided,extendto
aheightofatleast1mabovethelandingplace.
Considerhazardousfumes donotusepetrolordieselenginesin
excavationswithoutmakingarrangementsforthefumestobeducted
safelyaway,orprovidingforforcedventilation.Donotsitepetrolordiesel
engined equipment(suchasgeneratorsorcompressors)inornearthe
edgeofanexcavation;exhaustgasescancollectandaccumulate.