Excavation

Group 2 OHS
Students: Erasmus, Fiina, Fransiscu, Marja, phelep, sebastiaan, James,
Larry
Definitions to take in
• Excavation: Excavation generally means work involving the removal
of soil or rock from a site to form an open face, hole or cavity, using
tools, machinery or explosives.
• Trench: is a long and narrow opening in the ground caused by
excavation
• Sloping: a method of protecting employees from cave-ins by
excavating to form sides of an excavation that are inclined away from
the excavation so as to prevent cave-ins.
• Shoring: a structure that supports the sides of an excavation and
protector against a cave in
• Shield: a structure able to withstand a cave-in and protect employees
Excavation hazards
• Moving the machinery nearby the edge of the excavation can cause a
collapse of the trenches wall.
• Dust inhalation caused by the excavation process.
• Asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen in deep excavations.
• Falling into the excavation(slips and trips).
• Flooding or water accumulation from the rain causing slippery grounds.
• Lose rock or soil particles.
• cave-ins from Heavy machinery and equipment, like excavators,
jackhammers, or even shoveling
Excavation hazards cave-ins
Excavation hazard lose rocks or soil particles
Excavation control measures
• Before preparing for excavation, a competent person must be in
charge of planning the excavation including the knowledge of the
different types of soil, and the use of protective systems and must be
capable of identifying the different types of hazards.
• Additional measures are, Installing barricades.
• Use hand / mechanical signals
• Grade soil away from the excavation
• Use a flagger when signs, signals, and barricades are not enough
protection.
• Check the excavation each day before starting work and after any
event that may affect its stability.
Excavation controls continue

Excavation
caution
sign

Shoring
being done
barricading
 The end

Thank you for listening