Dangers of Excavation You Must Be Aware Of
Every construction project must include excavation work since it is the basis for every structure, including houses, buildings, roads, and reservoirs. However, it also exposes workers to harmful risks and dangers.
Read further as we discuss further the hazards commonly encountered when doing excavation works.
Table of Contents
Most Common Types of Excavation Accidents and Hazards
Any time they are charged with trenching or excavation work, construction personnel must be alert to the danger of a major mishap. They are doing employment where any significant risks might lead to an accident while at work.
Here are the common excavation accidents that can happen on projects:
Cave-ins
According to OSHA, cave-ins are the highest risk to a construction worker engaged in excavation operations on the job site. Cave-ins cause most worker deaths in trench and excavation accidents. According to OSHA, dirt is hefty; one cubic yard of dirt can weigh as much as a vehicle.
It may implode or collapse if a trench or excavation is not adequately supported during a cave-in. Furthermore, there is a chance that the materials removed during excavation (such as the dirt mound adjacent to the hole or tunnel) will collapse into the excavation.
Electrocutions
Even if their role does not entail dealing with that specific line or service, construction workers in a trench may be exposed to utility wires that transmit electricity. A worker’s death might occur if they come into contact with live electricity in the trench.
Any time the workers are assigned to perform any excavation on the working site, electrocutions might also happen. Electrocution may occur if a tool, equipment, or even a worker’s hand or foot strikes or contacts underground utility wires.
Terrible conditions in trenches
In addition to occasionally having less oxygen, excavated regions can occasionally have poisonous gas or chemical contamination in the air. Workers may be in danger in one of these scenarios or both.
An expert must conduct atmospheric testing in excavations deeper than 4 feet. Workers must use the appropriate respiratory protection equipment to reduce risk depending on the potentially dangerous environment in the dig.
Equipment issues
Although tools make excavations simpler, this isn’t always the case. Equipment problems might result in severe injuries both within and outside the excavation.
For instance, equipment may fall into the trench when barriers are not provided. Carbon monoxide inhalation dangers can also be brought on by malfunctioning equipment. Large machinery can sometimes lead to cave-ins.
Water-related Hazards
While in or around an excavation, workers are in danger from various water hazards. The walls of a trench may become unstable due to water.
Additionally, it creates a drowning risk within the trench itself. In the case of electrical equipment, workers may even electrocute themselves.
After a rainfall or other water incursion, examine trenches to avoid water-related trenching and excavation issues.
How To Prevent Encountering Accidents During Earthworks
Ensure that the entry and exit are both secure.
In all trenches, at least four feet deep, OSHA mandates that employers provide ladders, stairways, ramps, or other safe methods of exiting the area within 25 lateral feet of employees. The access points into and out of the trench must be protected against cave-ins to keep employees safe.
Sometimes, employees’ ability to escape dangerous situations at a trench or dig site determines whether they will survive. The significance of taking this action can thus not be overstated.
Make sure the proper safety measures are taken.
The proper safety measures are essential to preventing worker injuries during trenching and excavation. The absence of such devices puts employees at a higher risk of suffering accidents, including crushing, chemical exposure, and asphyxia.
Place tools and supplies for the job in the correct location. If employees are placed too near the trench, excavation supplies and work-related equipment might seriously hurt them. Employers should ensure that all tools and supplies are set up at least two feet apart.
Protection against cave-ins.
Since soil can be unstable, all excavation sites are dangerous. Therefore, employees need protection systems or equipment while working within ditches five feet or deeper. They run the risk of being crushed by a cave-in without this equipment.
To ensure worker safety, the task must be planned appropriately before beginning. A qualified expert must complete several steps that are necessary for this.
Make sure the location is appropriately set up.
Excavations areas should be inspected before any work is done and ongoing during the project. When preparing the Jobsite, a person with sufficient competence and training in soil analysis should be utilized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Excavation failures can happen fast, making it difficult for employees (and perhaps other surrounding people) to flee, especially if the collapse is widespread. The risk involved with this operation is increased by the pace at which an excavation collapses.
A barrier should be strong enough not to collapse if someone falls against it to prevent people and materials from falling in. Away from the edge, keep plants and stuff. Use accurate service drawings, service-finding tools, and safe digging techniques to avoid hitting underground services. For gaining entry and exit, provide a ladder.
An excavation company’s duties include preparing the site, grading the ground, levelling it, excavating trenches, drilling, and digging holes. Construction projects that need excavation include building foundations, basements, driveways, walkways, sewage lines, pipelines, drainage, landscaping, and swimming pools.
The collapse of a portion or the entirety of an excavation wall is referred to as soil failure. The most frequent type of soil failure is an excavation that unexpectedly settles or caves in. The most frequent cause of soil collapse is soil sliding.
Layout the foundation when excavation is complete, then fill the remaining space surrounding the foundation with the earth. Residential structures have floors that are higher above the natural ground level. Up to the floor levels, cover the space with dirt and compress it. The residential building’s foundation construction is now complete.
Final Thoughts
One of the riskiest construction activities is trenching and excavation, and accidents and fatalities have increased recently. Employee injury or death from collapse or cave-in is the leading risk associated with trenching and excavation. Personnel who fix the water, sewage, and utility lines, road builders and workers who carry out excavating activities are in danger of getting caught in a cave-in.
Having said that, excavation companies should be responsible enough to be held accountable for the health and safety of not only the workers but also all the people and area near the excavation project.
