The Best Way to Shore Up Your Excavation Safety

Excavation is a dangerous construction operation that leads to the deaths of at least two workers each month. If you’re thinking of undertaking an excavation project, then you have to consider a number of factors that will affect the overall safety of the excavation operation.

Protect Yourself and Your Employees

Effective risk management services can help protect you and your employees during an excavation project. One of the biggest threats in an excavation operation is a cave-in. They are highly likely to result in an excavation related accident that could injure or in severe cases be fatal to the workers. Cave-ins are caused by different reasons, some of the most common reasons are:

1. Vibration from vehicles, other machinery, and equipment
2. Incorrect sloping of trench walls
3. Hydrostatic pressure from thawing or freezing
4. Skipping the shoring procedure when the trench has to be left open for a brief time period

You can protect yourself and your employees by following the necessary safety guidelines for excavation operations provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Get a Competent Person

According to OSHA, a competent person is a term used to describe an individual who has the ability to identify existing and potential dangers at the construction site or deem the working conditions unsanitary and dangerous for employees. A ‘competent person’ will ensure the construction site is safe for workers and the right machinery is used for excavation.

How to Choose a Competent Person

Choosing a competent person is an essential task. A credible contractor with the assistance of a risk management service will decide to choose a person who has years of experience with excavation, trenching, and shielding. The person chosen will need to comply with OSHA guidelines to help protect workers and provide a safe working environment for every staff member. If you have a big project on your hand, then it’s feasible to designate more than one competent person to ensure the excavation operation is conducted without an accident or an injury.

Duties of a Competent Person

To maintain the safety procedures during excavation, the competent person and risk management service technicians have to perform the following duties such as:

1. The classification of soil samples
2. Inspecting machinery and equipment to be used in excavation
3. Design and install structural ramps under their supervision
4. Evaluate and monitor every activity on site including water removal equipment.

If you want to learn more about this subject or wish to find more risk management solutions, contact SIA Insurance Group by calling at (630) 325-4000.