SUBPART P

1926.650 - 1926.652
EXCAVATIONS

copyright 1999 Sierra Safetyworks

Definition
Excavation Vs. Trench
A trench is defined as a narrow excavation

made below the surface of the ground. The

depth is normally greater than the width with
the width at the bottom of the trench being no
wider than 15
An excavation is defined as any man-made
cavity, trench, or depression in the earth
surface formed by earth removal

Therefore, it can be assumed that all

trenches are excavations, but not all
excavations are trenches
2

Do You See Safe Work

Practices in Place Here?

Do You See Safe Work

Practices in Place Here?

Do You See Safe Work

Practices in Place Here?

OSHAs GREATEST HIT$

Most Commonly Cited - 1999
1926.652(a)(1) Protection provided from cave-ins
in excavations
1926.651(k)(1) Daily inspections by competent
person of excavations & protective systems
1926.651(c)(2) Means of egress provided from
trench excavations
1926.651(j)(2) Protection from excavated material
or equipment falling into excavations
1926.651(k)(2) Competent person inspection
Employees removed from hazard
6

Are These Good or Bad Examples

of Excavation Safety?

Are These Good or Bad Examples

of Excavation Safety?

Examples of Excavation
Safety?

Are These Good or Bad Examples

of Excavation Safety?

10

Major Compliance Issues of

Subpart P
Scope, Application, & Definitions (including
Competent Person) 1926.650
General Requirements
1926.651
Requirements for Protective Systems

1926.652
Appendix A - F Includes Soil classification,
sloping and benching, timber shoring,
aluminum hydraulic shoring, alternatives to
timber shoring, and selection of protective
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systems

Scope, Application & Definition

Competent Person
The single most important definition
contained in this Subpart is that of
Competent Person

A competent person is defined as one who

is capable of identifying existing and
predictable hazards in the surroundings, or
working conditions which are unsanitary,
hazardous, or dangerous to employees and
who has the authority to take prompt
corrective measures to eliminate them
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What Makes you an Excavation

Competent Person?
You MUST have specific
training in and be
knowledgeable about:
Soil Typing & analysis
The different kinds of
protective systems &
their proper use
Hazard recognition
When a registered P.E. is
required
13 P
Knowledge of Subpart

What Makes you an Excavation

Competent Person?
AND HAVE AUTHORITY

14

Did The Competent Person Do

Their Job Here?

15

Did The Competent Person Do

Their Job Here?

16

Did The Competent Person Do

Their Job Here?

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Did The Competent Person Do

Their Job Here?

18

General Requirements of
Subpart P
Surface encumbrances must be supported or

removed if they pose a hazard to workers

All underground utilities or other similar type
installations must be located prior to any
excavation beginning. Those same may need
to be supported, removed or protected

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General Requirements of
Subpart P
Proper access and egress must be always
available to workers

Ramps & runways

Stairways & ladders
Required 4 or deeper
Maximum of 25 lateral travel by worker to reach

Workers exposed to vehicular traffic must

wear DOT type vests or equal

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Are These Good or Bad Examples

of Access & Supporting Utilities?

21

Are These Good or Bad Examples

of Access & Supporting Utilities?

22

Are These Good or Bad

Examples
of Access & Supporting Utilities?

23

Excellent Examples of Supported

Utilities Excavations

24

Excellent Examples of
Supported Utilities Excavations

25

Excellent Examples of
Supported Utilities Excavations

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Excellent Examples of
Supported Utilities Excavations

27

Examples of Barrier Protection

Around the Excavation Perimeter

Barricades or equivalent around excavations to

keep employees from falling in
Similar measures to be taken to keep vehicles
or equipment from going into excavation
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General Requirements of
Subpart P
Workers cannot be underneath any load

handled by digging or lifting equipment

Warning systems must warn equipment
operators of excavations (I.e. barricades, etc)
Excavations must be checked for possible
hazardous atmospheres

29

General Requirements of
Subpart P
Workers must not work in excavations

that contain water

Any structure adjacent to an excavation
must be properly supported to prevent
collapse
Workers must be protected from loose
materials or soil going into the
excavation
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Good or Bad Examples?

31

Good or Bad Examples?

32

Good or Bad Examples?

33

Good or Bad Examples?

34

General Requirements of
Subpart P
All excavations & any

protective equipment
used in same must be
inspected on a daily
basis by a competent
person & must occur
prior to any starting
Walkways equipped
with guardrails must be
provided where workers
or equipment cross over
35
excavations

Requirements for Protective

Systems
Any worker in an excavation shall be

protected from cave-ins by an adequate

protective system except when:

Excavation made entirely in stable rock

Excavation less than 5 deep & inspection by
competent person reveals no cave-in hazard

All protective systems to have capacity to

resist without failure all loads that are

intended or reasonably could be expected
to be applied or transmitted to the
protective system
36

Are Proper Precautions Being

Taken in These Examples?

37

Are Proper Precautions Being

Taken in These Examples?

38

Are Proper Precautions Being

Taken in These Examples?

39

Design of all Protective Systems

Design of sloping &
benching systems

All sloped 1.5/1(34o)

Appendix A & B
Tabulated data
Design by P.E.

Materials & Equipment

All approved by competent

person
Manufactured equipment
used per mfrs. Specs
unless approved in writing

Design of support,

shield, & other

protective systems

Timber shoring to be
per appendix A & C
Mfrs. Tabulated data
for support or shields
Hydraulic shoring per
mfr or appendix D
All tabulated data kept
on site during work
Design by registered
P.E. & kept on site
40

A Good Example of an
Engineered Shoring Plan

Conventional sloping wouldnt work because of

adjacent buildings & road that had to remain open

Existing utilities were located and supported
P.E. shoring plan followed exactly
41

Subpart P
Appendix A Requirements
Classification of soil & rock deposits
All rock & soil deposits must be classified
by a competent person as either stable
rock, type A, type B, or type C
These classifications must be made on the
basis of at least 1 visual & 1 manual test
Visual Tests
Manual Tests
Particle size
Pocket penetrometer
spalling & fissures
roll test(cohesiveness)
water presence
sedimentation test42

Soil Classification
Type A Soil
Cohesive soil with an

unconfined compressive
strength of 3000# per
sq. foot or greater
Clay, silty clay, cemented
soils (non-granular)
Cannot be Type A if:

Unstable dry rock

Previously disturbed soil
Is fissured
Subject to vibration
layered with slope > 4/1
43

Soil Classification
Type B Soil
Cohesive soil with an

unconfined compressive
strength of 1000-3000#
per square foot
Granular cohesionless
soils: silt, silt loam, sandy
loam
Can be Type B soil if:

Unstable dry rock

Type A fissured or subject
to vibration
Layered with slope < 4/1
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Soil Classification
Type C Soil
Cohesive soil with an

unconfined compressive
strength of < 1000 # per
square foot
Granular soils including
gravel, sand & loamy sand
Must be Type C soil if:

Submerged soil or soil from

which water is weeping
Unstable submerged rock
Any previously disturbed soil
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(previously excavated)

Would You Work in These

Trench Boxes?

46

Would You Work in These

Trench Boxes?

47

Would You Work in These

Trench Boxes?

48

Good and Bad Examples of Trench

and Excavation Protection

49

Good and Bad Examples of Trench

and Excavation Protection

50

Good and Bad Examples of Trench

and Excavation Protection

51

Good and Bad Examples of Trench

and Excavation Protection

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An Excellent Example of all

Facets of Excavation Safety

Good example of shoring /lagging

Good guardrail system around upper perimeter
Good impalement protection at lower grade
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