Excavating is required for wide-range construction projects and is a regular part of construction operations. Along with trenching, excavation is a major worksite hazard, causing an average of 54 fatalities per year according to OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Excavation failures are extremely dangerous because they occur quickly and inhibit the ability of site workers and those nearby to escape to safety.
The risk associated with excavation jobs increases with the speed of an excavation collapse, especially if it’s an extensive one. The aftermath can be deadly as the falling earth can bury or crush any worker in its path, causing internal crush injuries or suffocation. Before starting with the main theme of this blog, let’s first understand what comes under excavation work.
What Is Excavation Work?
Excavation work is the removal of rock or soil from a site, using specialized tools, machinery, and sometimes explosives to form a hole or cavity. It can occur anywhere, such as on construction sites, business premises, and in public areas. Excavation services generally include potholing, open excavations, pit excavations, shafts and drives, and trenches and retaining walls.
Excavation Work Safety Hazards
Excavation Hazards
Some safety hazards are directly related to excavation operations, such as improper site survey before proceeding with the job or incorrect handling of materials during or after it. These include whether or not you have placed the excavated materials, plant, or other loads securely and safely.
Incorrectly surveying before beginning the excavation operation is another major safety hazard to look out for. You must determine how this project will influence its nearby structures and whether there are any previous ground disturbances you should know of before digging a hole.
Any external actions such as excavation, in this case, can cause ground instability leading to a possible inrush of water, other liquids, or hazardous substances present in the soil.
Falls & Falling Objects
One construction site hazard that is most commonly ignored is that any site worker can fall into the excavated area. Falling loads, such as excavation work equipment or excavated soil and dirt, can also fall into the dug-up area and bury those working below. OSHA requires excavation site materials to be stored a minimum of two feet away from the edge of the excavation site. Employers are recommended to prevent any work from being conducted beneath suspended or raised loads.
Hazardous Atmosphere
A safety hazard that must be considered on all excavation sites is oxygen depletion in trenched areas. Contamination of the trench atmosphere by toxic chemicals and gases can significantly drop oxygen levels in that area. Workers breathing in these fumes and gases are at risk of asphyxiation that can be fatal.
Without PPE or respirators, the fumes will be inhaled by workers more quickly due to heavy breathing in such strenuous work. To avoid such unfortunate situations, atmospheric testing should be performed during the site analysis survey for excavations exceeding four feet.
Cave-ins
One of the main risks of excavation work is ground collapses. An average of two site workers is killed each month due to cave-ins resulting from ground collapse, making it a serious safety threat for workers. Ground collapse can be quite extensive in many cases. They may occur quickly without any warning and do not give workers any time to escape. If any worker gets buried underground, he will likely die from asphyxiation due to crushing pressure before help arrives.
Mobile Equipment
Accidents involving construction machinery and vehicles, such as backhoe loaders or dump trucks, are a common hazard of excavation sites. The view of individuals operating any mobile equipment might get obstructed, making them unable to detect when nearing the perimeter of the excavated area. This can lead to both the mobile equipment operators and the vehicle falling into the dug-up hole.
Apart from the safety hazards mentioned above, there are many other threats to the site worker’s safety, especially in traditional excavation techniques such as using explosives. Flying debris on excavation sites can also hit workers and cause serious injuries and damage to the expensive equipment.
Why Choose Hydrovac Excavation?
Hydrovac excavation is a great method to ensure worker safety during any excavation operation. It is a non-mechanical procedure that requires less workforce, fewer machines and allows workers to stay above the ground. This is also a great way to ensure that workers are safe from any mishaps and accidents. Moreover, it poses little threat to the utilities underground, such as water and sewer lines. It also minimizes the chances of damage to existing structures in the soil.
About Us
At Ghost Hydrovac, we offer expert hydro-vac services, including hydro excavation, directional drilling, cleaning, washing, and more using specialized hydro-vac trucks in Alberta and BC. For more information about our services, contact us today.