MODULE 2

EXCAVATION SAFETY
 INTRODUCTION
• Excavation is always important part of the construction works
and mining;
EX:
✓Excavation of building and bridge foundations,
✓Trenching for buried pipelines and electrical poles,
✓Tunneling, Etc.
▪ Strategic plan should be tabled & implemented while engage
for this work.
 INTRODUCTION
• Accident due to cave-in occurs for excavations that are not
shared or otherwise supported;
✓Even rock that looks solid from a cursory inspection can
collapse without warning.
✓The sides of an excavation may need to be suitably shored,
benched or sloped back to a safe angle of repose, depth and
soil classification.
• Other types of excavation accident are caused by contact with;
✓above and underground pipes and cables,
✓by falls of equipment and person,
✓by persons being struck by excavating equipment, and
✓by hazardous atmosphere.
 TERMINOLOGIES
• EXCAVATION – any man-made cavity or depression in the earth’s
surface, including its sides, walls, or faces, formed by earth removal
and producing unsupported earth conditions because of the
excavation.
• TRENCH EXCAVATION – a narrow excavation made below the surface
of the ground. In general, the depth is greater than the width, but the
width of a trench is not greater than 4.5 M (15 ft)
• PROTECTIVE SYSTEM – Methods used to protect employees from
cave-ins, from materials that could fall or roll the excavation onto the
workers or from collapse of adjacent structures, protective systems
include supports, sloping and benching, shields and other means to
protect workers.
 TERMINOLOGIES
• SHORING – hydraulic, timber or mechanical systems that support the
sides of an excavation designed to prevent cave-ins.
• HYDRAULIC SHORING – a pre- engineered support system of
aluminum hydraulic cylinders (cross-braced) used with vertical rods
(uprights) or horizontal rods designed specifically to support side
walls of an excavation to prevent cave-in.
• BENCHING- a method of protecting employees from cave-ins by
excavating the sides of an excavation to form one or more series of
horizontal steps, with rise between steps.
• SLOPING – method of excavating in which the sides of an excavation
are laid to a safe angle to prevent cave-ins.
 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO EXCAVATION
• Carry out joint site safety inspection with client/ owner, consultant &
company representatives.
• Identify & locate underground facilities / utilities, i.e. water / oil / gas
pipelines, electric power lines, telephone lines, sanitary sewer lines.
• Municipal Permit Requirements;
✓Excavation Plan
✓Verify existing utilities
✓Refer to as built plans
✓Emergency Plan
✓Public safety
• Proximity of adjacent structures
 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO EXCAVATION
• Weather & moisture conditions
• Sources of the vibrations
• Adjacent road footpaths
• Methods of excavation
• Other possible considerations
 SOIL TESTING
• Soil testing shall be done by accredited Soil Testing Firm for the
following reasons:
✓soil type
✓pre-planning
✓type of sloping / shoring required
• Compilation of Test Certificate
 SOIL TYPE
• Type A - cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5
tons per square foot (TSF)… Clay / Clay Loam / Cemented soil
• Type B - cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength
greater than 0.5 TSF but less than 1.5 TSF.
✓Granular Cohesion less Soils including angular gravel (like crush
rock) Silt, Silt Loam, Sandy Loam.
• Type C- cohesive soil with unconfined compression strength of 0.5
TSF or less… Granular Soils including Gravel, Sand & Loamy sand.
 MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SLOPES
Soil / Rock Ratio Slope

Type (Deg.)

Stable Rock Vertical 90

Type A ¾: 1 53

Type B 1:1 45

Type C 1 ½: 1 34

Note: this table is good for excavation less than 20 Ft. deep.
 METHODS OF EXCAVATION PROTECTION
• Sloping – please see table for maximum allowable slopes
• Benching
• Trench Excavation
• Shoring / Timbering
• Sheet Piles
• Concrete Piles
• Micro piles
• Diaphragm
• De-watering System
SLOPING: method of excavating in which the sides of an excavation are
laid to a safe angle to prevent cave-ins.

Figure 3.1
- Simple slope of
1-1/2H to 1V; Suitable
for all soil types in
excavation less than
20 feet in depth
SLOPING: method of excavating in which the sides of an excavation are
laid to a safe angle to prevent cave-ins.

Figure 3.2
- Simple slope
excavation in Type A
soil with a 3/4H:1V
SLOPING: method of excavating in which the sides of an excavation are
laid to a safe angle to prevent cave-ins.

Figure 3.3
-Simple slope
excavation in Type
B soil with a 1H:1V
slope
BENCHING: - a method of protecting employees from cave-ins by
excavating the sides of an excavation to form one or more series of
horizontal steps, with rise between steps.

Figure 3.4
- Benched
excavation in Type A
soil with a maximum
slope of 3/4H:1V.
BENCHING: - a method of protecting employees from cave-ins by
excavating the sides of an excavation to form one or more series of
horizontal steps, with rise between steps.

Figure 3.5
- Multiple benched
excavation in Type B
soil with a slope of
1H:1V. This bench
allowed in cohesive
soil only.
TRENCH EXCAVATION: – a narrow excavation made below the surface of
the ground. In general, the depth is greater than the width, but the
width of a trench is not greater than 4.5 M (15 ft.)

Figure 3.6
- A Horizontal Waler System in a
Trench dug in Type C soil.
- Horizontal 2 inches Cylinders are
spaced at 6.5 feet O.C. horizontally.
- Wales are spaced 4 feet O.C.
vertically and 3x12 Timber Sheeting
is used.

Example of a Trench Excavation (dug in type C soil) with an installed

Horizontal Waler System.
TIMBER SHORING:
This illustrates timber shoring in a trench approximately 13 feet deep
and 5 feet wide in Type B soil. Using OSHA specifications described in
Table 4, the 6 x 6 cross braces have been placed at 6 feet horizontally
and 5 feet vertically; the 8 x 8 wales are positioned at five feet vertically;
and the 2 x 6 uprights are placed every two feet
HYDRAULIC SHORING: Vertical aluminum hydraulic shoring in a trench dug in
soil Type B. The vertical shores and 2 inches diameter cylinders are placed 5.5
O.C. horizontally and 4 feet O.C. vertically. Plywood is used behind the shores
to prevent local raveling between shores.
SHEET PILES: Sheet piles are sections of sheet materials with interlocking
edges that are driven into the ground to provide earth retention and
excavation support. Sheet piles are most commonly made of steel, but
can also be formed of timber or reinforced concrete.
SHEET PILES:
CONCRETE PILES
MICRO PILES
DIAPHRAGM
DIAPHRAGM
 DE-WATERING SYSTEM
• WELLPOINT METHOD OF DEWATERING EXCAVATIONS
Eductor Wells Method of Dewatering Excavations
OPEN SUMP PUMPING METHOD OF DEWATERING EXCAVATIONS
DEEP WELL METHOD OF DEWATERING EXCAVATIONS
CONTRIBUTARY FACTORS IN EXCAVATION COLLAPSE
• Water (i.e., rain, natural ground water, near the water
sources)
• Improper sloping technique.
• Improper impoundment of excavated soil.
• Wrong parking of heavy equipment, machines & vehicles.
• Improper barricade, light, sign, etc.
• No regular monitoring or inspection.
• No adequate training.
 EQUIPMENT & HANDTOOLS

EQUIPMENT
Backhoe Wheel Loader Rock Breaker
Bulldozer Grader

HANDTOOLS
Shovel Pneumatic hammer
Pick ax Etc.
END