MODULE 21

Construction Hazards and

Standards

Construction vs. General

Industry
Construction, alteration and/or repair,
including painting and decorating is
under 29 CFR 1926 29 CFR 1910.12
Repair of existing facilities; replacement
of structures and their components
Interpretation: Construction vs.
Maintenance
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29 CFR 1926 Organization

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
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I.

General
General Interpretations
General Safety and Health Provisions
Occupational Health and Environmental
Controls
Personal Protective and Life Saving
Equipment
Fire Protection and Prevention
Signs, Signals, and Barricades
Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and
Disposal
Tools Hand and Power

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29 CFR 1926 Organization

J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.

Welding and Cutting

Electrical
Scaffolds
Fall Protection
Cranes, Derricks, Hoists, Elevators, and Conveyors
Motor Vehicles, Mechanized Equipment, and
Marine Operations
P. Excavations
Q. Concrete and Masonry Construction
R. Steel Erection
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29 CFR 1926 Organization

S. Underground Construction, Caissons,
Cofferdams, and Compressed Air
T. Demolition
U. Blasting and the Use of Explosives
V. Power Transmission and Distribution
W. Rollover Protective Structures; Overhead
Protection
X. Ladders
Y. Commercial Diving Operations
Z. Toxic and Hazardous Substances
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Hazards and Standards

What hazards are employees exposed to:
When they set up a drilling site?
When they grade land or excavate?
When they clear a site for use?

Regulations in 29 CFR 1926:

Subpart P Excavations
Subpart O Motor Vehicles, Mechanized
Equipment, and Marine Operations
If blasting: Subpart O
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29 CFR 1926 Subpart P

Excavations

Excavation Hazards
Excavating is
recognized as one of
the most hazardous
construction operations
Fatality rate for
excavations is twice that
of construction as a
whole
Cave-ins: More likely to
result in fatalities than
other excavation
hazards
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Hazards of Excavation Work

Cave-ins
Underground utilities
Materials/equipment falling into
excavation sites
Asphyxiation
Explosion
Falls
Drowning
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Soil Mechanics
Unit weight of soils:
Varies with type and moisture content
1 cubic foot can weigh 100 to >140 lbs
1 cubic meter can weigh >3000 lbs

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Types of excavation collapse

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Heaving or Boiling

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Definitions
Excavation: any man-made cut, cavity,
trench, or depression in an earth
surface, formed by earth removal.
Trench (Trench excavation): a narrow
excavation (in relation to its length)
made below the surface of the ground.
Depth>width; width <15 feet
<15 feet between structure and side
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Definition Competent Person

Training, experience, and knowledge of:
Soil analysis
Use of protective systems
Requirements of 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart P

Ability to detect:

Conditions that could result in cave-ins

Failures in protective systems
Hazardous atmospheres
Other hazards including those associated with confined
spaces

Authority to take prompt corrective measures to

eliminate existing and predictable hazards and to stop
work when required
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1926.651 Specific Excavation

Requirements
a. Remove or support surface
encumbrances (competent person)
b. Determine location of all underground
utilities before opening excavation

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OneCall system / 811

Use safe means to determine exact
locations & protect underground utilities

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1926.651(c) Access & Egress

Structural ramps for access and egress
designed by competent person &
constructed according to design
Bar is higher for equipment ramps

Access & egress ramps designed to

avoid slipping or tripping

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1926.651(c) Access & Egress

Stairway, ladder, ramp, other safe
egress within 25 feet of employees in
trenches >4 feet deep
Ladder requirements apply, including
extending 3 feet above top surface

4' or greater

Every 25'
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1926.651 Specific Excavation

Requirements
d. In traffic areas, reflective
vests required
e. No workers underneath
loads handled by lifting or
digging equipment.
f. Barricades, stop logs or
hand signals for mobile
equipment operating near
excavations
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1926.651(g) Hazardous
atmospheres
In excavations 4 feet or more where
hazardous atmospheres are likely to
exist must test atmosphere before
entering and retest as necessary
Unsafe below 19.5% oxygen
Stay below 20% of lower flammable limits

Ventilation or PPE must be used as

required
Rescue equipment available
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1926.651(h) Water Accumulation

Precautions required
before working for water
in excavations
Competent Person must
monitor control measures
If diverting surface water,
must take steps to
prevent water from
entering trench
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1926.651(i) Stability of adjacent

structures
Structures adjacent to excavations must
be supported if stability is affected
No excavation below adjacent footings
unless underpinned, or stable rock, or
approved by PE
No undermining pavements unless
supported

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1926.651 Specific Excavation

Requirements
j.

Protect employees from falling rock,

soil, or materials/equipment falling into
excavations.

Keep materials 2 feet from edge

Retaining devices/barricades

k. Inspections by competent person,

daily and as needed during shift
l. Walkways to cross excavations
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1926.652 Requirements for

protective systems
Protection of employees in
excavations
Design of sloping and
benching systems
Design of support
systems, shield systems,
and other protective
systems
Materials and equipment
Installation and removal
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1926.652(a) Protection of
employees in excavations
Use adequate protective system, except
Excavations entirely in stable rock
<5 feet and competent person sees no
potential for cave-in

Capacity for all reasonably

expected loads

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1926.652(b) and (c) Design of

sloping and benching systems
Four choices for sloping:

Slope for type C, no steeper than 34

Use sloping choices from Appendices A, B
Tabulated data determined by a PE
Designed by a PE

For support systems, shield systems, other:

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Design using Appendices A, C, D

Manufacturers tabulated data
Other tabulated data determined by a PE
Designed by a PE
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1926.652(d) Materials and

equipment
Materials for protective systems free
from damage & defects
Used according to manufacturers
specifications
If damaged,
competent person
must determine
suitability for
continued use
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1926.652(e) Installation and

removal of support
Support system members securely
connected together
Installed & removed to assure
employee safety
Keep within design
capacity
Remove from bottom
first, and backfill as
you remove
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1926.652(f) Sloping and

benching systems
No working on sloped or benched faces
unless employees below are protected

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1926.652(g) Shield systems

Shield systems not subject to loads
exceeding their capacity
Installed to restrict lateral movement
Employee protection provided while
entering/exiting shields
No employees in trench during installation or
removal of shields
May excavate up to 2 feet below shield with
proper conditions
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Trench
box
FOR
EXAMPLE

Subtitles & Transitions

Shielding

Shoring

1926 Subpart P Appendix A Soil Classification

A method of categorizing soil and rock
deposits in a hierarchy:
Stable Rock
Type A cohesive soil >1.5 tsf with
exceptions
Type B cohesive soil >.5-1.5 tsf or
granular, disturbed, vibrated, fissured,
layered
Type C cohesive soil <.5 tsf or granular,
submerged, layered
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32

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Soils - Types & Particle Size

Gravel
larger than 2 millimeters

Sand
Between 0.075 and 2 millimeters

Silt
Between 0.002 and 0.075 millimeters

Clay
Smaller than 0.002 millimeters
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Additional soil classification

Layered geological strata: based on
weakest layer
May be classified individually if weaker
is on top of stronger

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1926 Subpart P Appendix A Soil Classification

Each soil and rock deposit shall be
classified by a competent person
Classification made based on at least
one visual and one manual analysis

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Visual tests: Particle size

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Visual tests

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Clumping
Cracks or spalling
Existing utilities/previously disturbed soil
Layers and slope
Water in surface, seeping, water table
Vibration sources

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Manual tests

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Plasticity
Dry strength
Thumb penetration
Pocket penetrometer or shearvane
Drying test

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29 CFR 1926 Subpart O

Motor Vehicles, Mechanized

Equipment, and Marine
Operations

Organization of Subpart O

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1926.600 - Equipment.
1926.601 - Motor vehicles.
1926.602 - Material handling equipment.
1926.603 - Pile driving equipment.
1926.604 - Site clearing.
1926.605 - Marine operations and equipment.
1926.606 - Definitions applicable to this
subpart.
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1926.600(a) Equipment - General

Requirements
Lights/reflectors on unattended equipment
next to highway
Protection for tire changes on split rims
Elevated equipment: protect from falling
Parking brake, plus chocks for inclines
Batteries: by Subpart K
Cab glass: safety glass with no visible
distortion
Movement around power lines or transmitters
Stops for railroad cars on spurs
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1926.601 Motor Vehicles

a. Coverage.

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Motor vehicles that operate within an offhighway jobsite, not open to public traffic
Not for material handling equipment
covered under 1926.602.

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1926.601(b) General
requirements
Brake system in operable condition:
Service brake system
Emergency brake system
Parking brake system

2 headlights & 2 taillights if needed,

depending on visibility
Brake lights regardless of visibility
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1926.601(b) General
requirements
Audible warning device (horn)
Obstructed rear view: must have
Reverse signal alarm audible above
surrounding noise level or
Backed up only when observer signals that
it is safe

Windshields & powered wipers on cabs

Fix cracked glass
Defogger/defroster where necessary
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1926.601(b) General
requirements
Haulage vehicles: cab shield and/or
canopy adequate to protect the operator
from shifting or falling materials
Secure tools and material from
movement in compartments with
employees
Seats firmly secured and adequate for
employees being carried
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1926.601(b) General
requirements
Seat belts and anchorages meeting 49
CFR Part 571
Dump bodies supported, locked into
position for maintenance or inspection
Latch on hoisting/dumping devices to
prevent accidental operation
Trip handle of dump truck tailgate:
operator must be clear when dumping
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1926.601(b) General
requirements
Rubber-tired equipment must have
fenders or mud flaps
Vehicles checked at beginning of shift:

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All brake systems

Tires
Horn
Steering
Coupling
Seat belt

Controls
Safety devices
Lights/reflectors
Wipers/defrosters
Fire extinguishers
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1926.602 Material Handling

Equipment
Application:
Scrapers, loaders, crawler or wheel
tractors, bulldozers, off-highway trucks,
graders, agricultural and industrial tractors,
and similar equipment
Compactors and rubber-tired "skid-steer"
equipment: reserved

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1926.602(a)(2) Seat belts

Provided and must meet standards
Not necessary for standup operations
Not necessary for equipment without
roll-over protective structure (ROPS) or
canopy protection
ROPS: See 1926 Subpart W

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1926.602(a) Earthmoving
equipment; General
Access roadways and grades
Must be constructed and maintained for
safe movement of equipment involved
Emergency access ramps or berms to
restrain and control runaway vehicles

Service braking system

Capable of stopping and holding fully
loaded equipment
SAE standards apply
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1926.602(a) Earthmoving
equipment; General
Fenders on pneumatic-tired earthmoving equipment >15 mph
Suspended pending reevaluation

ROPS and overhead protection: Subpart

W
Horns for bidirectional machines
Reverse signal alarm
Guard all scissor points
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1926.602(b) Excavating and

other equipment
Seatbelts for tractor operation
Power Crane and Shovel Associations
Standards No. 1 and No. 2 of 1968, and
No. 3 of 1969 adopted

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1926.602(c) Lifting and hauling

equipment
Other than that covered by Subpart N
1926.600 and:
Ratings clearly visible and not exceeded
No modifications or additions without
manufacturers written approval
Multiple trucks together: proportion of load
must not exceed capacity
Steering knobs not attached unless
spinning prevented
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1926.602(c) Lifting and hauling

equipment
Overhead guards for high lift rider
industrial trucks
ANSI B56.1-1969
Riding on industrial trucks:
No unauthorized personnel
Safe place to ride

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1926.602(c)(1)(viii) Lifting
Personnel
Only where designed for that purpose
by manufacturer! (interpretation)
Safety platform secured to lifting
carriage or forks
Riding personnel must be able to shut
off power to truck
Falling object protection
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Powered industrial truck

training
Identical to 1910.178

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1926.603 Pile driving equipment

General requirements
Barges or floats: 1926.605
Pile driving equipment

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1926.604 Site clearing

Protect from toxic/irritant plants
Instruct in first aid treatment

Rollover guards
Overhead and rear canopy guards:
At least 1/8 steel plate or 1/4 wire mesh
with up to 1 openings
Rear of canopy: at least 1/4 wire mesh
with up to 1 openings
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1926.605 Marine operations and

equipment

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Material handling: 1918, Longshoring

Access to barges
Working surfaces of barges
First-aid and lifesaving equipment
Commercial diving operations: 1926
Subpart T

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1926 Subpart W: Rollover

Protective Structures (ROPS)
This construction equipment must have
ROPS meeting minimum performance
standards:

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Rubber-tired, self-propelled scrapers

Rubber-tired front-end loaders
Rubber-tired dozers
Wheel-type agricultural and industrial tractors
Crawler tractors
Crawler-type loaders
Motor graders, with or without attachments
NOT sideboom pipe laying tractors
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Rollover Protective Structures

Purpose: Prevent complete overturn;
minimize possibility of crushed operator
Driver could still be crushed if not
wearing a seatbelt!
Also in subpart W:
Testing provisions
Rule for overhead protection
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29 CFR 1926 Subpart L

Scaffolds

Application of Scaffold
Regulations
What is a scaffold?
What is covered by 29 CFR 1926
Subpart L?
Where are scaffolds used in oil and
gas?

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