EXCAVATION and TRENCHING |
Back |
When excavating, a contractor or worker has to consider the hazard associated with underground utility lines. These include gas lines, water lines, sewer lines, phone lines, fiber optic cables, and electrical cables. The ability to locate and avoid breaking utility lines is a very important step in excavations. Otherwise, a simple 4-hour job can become a costly emergency.
One-Call System:
Many parts of the country have a one-call system that requires everyone to call a phone number 2 to 5 days prior to excavating. This permits the local One-Call System to notify the utilities and have the area marked prior to any digging.
Web sites for one-call systems for a few states are as follows:
Even if the area is not marked, a contractor or worker has to proceed with caution when performing excavation work, especially if he/she has any reason to believe that there are underground utilities in the area. When an excavation approaches the estimated location of underground installations, the exact location of the installation has to be determined by a safe acceptable means.
Shoring:
An excavation or trenching activity can involve obstacles, restrictions and unstable excavation walls. Shoring is necessary to avoid exposing workers to hazards, and to prevent damage to the excavation, houses, buildings, roads, etc. Underground obstacles can include pipeline transportation systems for water, sewage, electricity, gas, oil, steam, fiber optics, telephone wires, and cable television.
Safety on the Job Site:
A contractor is responsible for having a competent person inspect the excavation or trench site as needed, and for providing appropriate safety training to any worker working in the excavation or in the vicinity of the excavation.
While an excavation is open, all underground installations need to be protected, removed, or supported, as necessary, to safeguard employees and the general public.
Any open trench needs to be barricaded to protect employees and the general public from falls. Site injuries and fatalities can occur from breaking a utility line, an unshored, or improperly shored, excavation, or improper barricading.
Our Associates
Our Associates include professionals in mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, structural, and mining engineering, metallurgy, and chemistry. We have investigated utility breaks and excavation and trenching that have caused major property damage to downtown areas, structural damage, and explosions and fires.
We assist the insurance and legal professions in the forensic analysis of excavation and trenching incidents resulting in property damage, bodily injury, litigation, or subrogation claims. We provide expert technical forensic services to both plaintiffs and defendants, and insurance professionals.
|
 |
|
|
