Excavation and trenching: what are the dangers?
It’ll come as no surprise that construction means moving dirt, and a lot of it. Excavating and trenching are literally the foundation of civil engineering, necessary for installing pipes, roads, and ground wires.
Excavation and trenching poses particular risks to workers, with hazards ranging from cave-ins, dangerous gases in the atmosphere, falling objects, drowning hazards from rainfall or flooding, and the proximity of electrical, gas, and water lines to digging sites. Last year, 19 deaths were caused by excavation and trenching accidents.
OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has guidelines in place to alert and protect workers from these hazards. Protective measures include regulations for equipment storage, where workers stand when they load and unload materials, and of course, signage.
To learn more about excavation and trenching, its hazards, and the warnings that should be in place at work sites, read the full article here.
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