This document discusses excavation hazards and precautions. It outlines several hazards associated with excavation work including cave-ins, asphyxiation, toxic fumes, fires, and accidents involving mobile equipment. It emphasizes that cave-ins pose the greatest risk and describes factors that must be considered in designing protective systems like soil type, depth, and weather conditions. The document also lists required safety precautions, equipment, emergency contact numbers, and regulatory requirements including permitting, gas testing, and using proper personal protective equipment. It concludes with a short quiz to test understanding of excavation safety hazards and rules.

1. Excavation Hazard & Precautions
WEL COME ‫خوش‬
‫آمدید‬ स्वागतम
Name of facilitator:
Syed Neyaz Ahmad
Location:
Fujairah U.A.E.
Date:
17th October 2022

2. EXCAVATION AND TRENCHING

3. Agenda
►How to identify practices that protect you at an excavation site
►How to find hazards at work that could cause an excavation or
trenching injury
►How to identify behaviors that could
cause injuries at an excavation site
►QUIZ

4. The Worksite Analysis
1. Identify your work space.
2. Look for hazards
3. Use a checklist to identify hazards.
4. Discuss problems and corrections with supervisor.

5. Before beginning excavation:
 Evaluate soil conditions
 Construct protective systems
 Test for low oxygen, hazardous
fumes and toxic gases
 Provide safe in and out access
 Contact utilities
 Determine the safety equipment needed

6. HAZARDS
 Cave-ins are the greatest risk:
Other hazards include:
 Asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen
 Inhalation of toxic materials
 Fire
 Moving machinery near the edge of the excavation
can cause a collapse
 Accidental severing of underground utility lines

7. Hazards in easy words
 Water accumulation
 Oxygen deficiency
 Toxic fumes
 Access/Egress
 Falls
 Mobile equipment
 When water is present in an excavation it is
extremely hazardous to enter

8. The greatest risk at an excavation
 How to protect employees from cave ins
 Factors that pose a hazard to employees working in
excavations
 The role of a competent person at an excavation site

9. PRECAUTIONS
 Protect Employees Exposed to Potential Cave-ins
 Slope or bench the sides of the excavation,
 Support the sides of the excavation, or Place a shield between
the side of the excavation and the work area
 Fence or barricade
 Means of Egress : A stairway, ladder

10. PRECAUTIONS
 Every excavation pit must be fenced / barricaded up to height of 3 feet
 Ladder should be extended at least 3 feet above the surface
 Follow PTW system
 Services drawings to be used to determine cable/pipeline route.
 Trial hand digging to be undertaken in order to verify cable/pipeline route.
 Banks-men to be provided whenever vehicles are working adjacent to excavations.
 Blinking light and hard barricading shall be provided to warn vehicle and workers.
Type of soils and slope required:
 Solid rock 90 degree > benching
 Compacted angular gravels 63 degree
 Average soils 45 degree > sloping
 Compacted sharp angle 33 degree
 Loose soil 26 degree

12. Factors Involved in Designing a Protective System
 Soil classification
 Depth of cut
 Water content of soil
 Changes due to weather and climate
 Other operations in the vicinity
 Shoring

13. Requirements
 Soil heaps 1.5 meter away from excavation edge
 Excavation 4’ deep access & egress required every 25’
 Gas test required 1.22 meter (4’) excavation
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER’s
 Civil Defense 997
 Ambulance 998
 Police 999

14. Requirements
HSE Requirements:
1. All work inside needs permit.
2. Work shall be started after authorization of permit.
4. Tool box talk shall be conducted.
5. Gas test shall be done.
6. Continues Gas Monitoring
The following PPE’s are mandatory:
 Full sleeve coverall
 Helmet
 Safety goggles
 Safety shoes
 Hearing protection
 Mask

15. QUIZ
TRUE or FALSE?
Because trenches are outdoors, it is not necessary
to be concerned about hazardous air.
The outdoor air will neutralize
any bad air in the trench.

16. ANSWER
FALSE
When dusts, fumes, mists, vapors or
gases are produced, they must be
handled to prevent a hazardous situation
in the trench .
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.57

17. QUIZ
TRUE OR FALSE?
If you are working in a trench where there are
only a few inches of water, you are permitted to
work in the trench.

18. ANSWER
FALSE
Employees shall not work in a trench where
water is standing or accumulating, unless there
is a system to remove the water, or the
employee uses a safety harness and lifeline.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651

19. QUIZ
TRUE OR FALSE?
If an excavation needs a ramp for entering and
exiting, anyone on the construction crew can
be assigned to find a ramp and put it in place.

20. ANSWER
FALSE
Structural ramps at excavations much be
designed by a competent person and
constructed in accordance with the design.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651

21. QUIZ
TRUE OR FALSE?
When a construction crew digs for an excavation,
it is okay to pile the dirt that is dug up (the spoils)
right at the edge of the excavation.

22. ANSWER
FALSE
The spoils of an excavation must be kept at
least two feet from the edge of the excavation.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651

23. QUIZ
TRUE OR FALSE?
A competent person has the authority to evacuate an excavation
site if that person believes the site is exposing employees to
unsafe conditions such as a possible cave-in or hazardous air.

24. ANSWER
TRUE
The competent person has authority to evacuate an
excavation site if it is exposing employees to unsafe
conditions such as a possible cave-in or hazardous
air.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651

25. Thank you