Underground Construction - August 2018 - 14

Taking the
High Ground
to Ensure

Underground
Safety

Working the right way means
working the safe way. That
combination leads to keeping
your team, budget and timeline
protected. This is especially
true in underground municipal
and commercial infrastructure
projects that involve building
structures or installing pipe in
trenches and excavation - particularly in utility, water and
sewer construction jobs.
Trench and excavation are
among the most hazardous
construction jobs. According to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
trench and excavation-related
fatalities in 2016 were nearly
double the average of the previous five years. Responding
to this trend, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established an
Agency Priority Goal for 2018
to reduce these hazards by 10
percent through inspections
and compliance assistance at
14

AUGUST 2018 | UConOnline.com

Todd Hays | United Rentals

workplaces.
Complying with OSHA's
trench safety standards and
maintaining constant awareness of the hazards can prevent
deaths and injuries. There are
several essential safety tips for
trench work.

Learn, review OSHA
standards
OSHA specifies safety standards for protecting workers from cave-ins. Because
trench construction involves
many complex factors, these
standards cover requirements
for sloping, benching, shielding and shoring, as well as soil
analysis and protective system
guidelines for installing and
removing support systems.
Workers and managers alike
should learn these standards
and review them regularly.
Follow a written
company policy

On an executive level, companies should have a detailed
policy that outlines safe trench
and excavation practices. This
policy should underscore the
need for proper planning and
supervision, require frequent
inspections of excavation sites
to detect any change in soil conditions, and ensure adequate
support for trenches. A good
policy will thoroughly outline
responsibilities and standardize
safe practices for employees.

Commit to training
The challenges of job-site safety
and productivity are something contractors face every
day. Lectures with minimal
classroom engagement are not
enough. Companies need to
look to dedicated resources that
offer quality safety training,
along with support outside the
classroom - like job-site consultation, engineered designs

and safety equipment. Courses
such as excavation safety for
competent person instruction,
confined space entry training,
fall protection, site-specific regulatory compliance and operator certifications for equipment
can truly support a contractor's
capability to maintain worker
safety while also boosting project productivity.

Identify competent
person
Compliance with OSHA standards requires the selection of a
competent individual to inspect
trenches and identify potential
hazards. Inspections must cover every aspect of excavation,
safety and shoring equipment,
and details such as soil type,
work in adjacent areas, the possibility of vibrations and weather conditions. Pre-work hazard
inspections also include ensuring that workers have the ap-

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Underground Construction - August 2018

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