Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Some construction firms specialize in site excavation. These firms have an assortment of
specialized equipment and crews which can handle a wide variety of types of
excavations, dealing with everything from construction supports to prevent collapse of
side walls to organizing the safe removal of excavated material. Hiring such a firm
usually ensures that the excavation is conducted safely and competently, reducing the risk
of problems at the site in the future. For archaeological excavation of proposed building
sites, specialized firms provide archaeology consulting services including excavation and
site evaluation.
Is excavation safe?
Excavation can safely remove most types of polluted soil from a site. However, certain
types of harmful chemicals require special safety precautions. For example, some
chemicals may evaporate, or change into gases. To prevent the release of gases to the air,
site workers may coat the ground with foam or draw the vapor into gas wells. Other
chemicals, like acids and explosives, also require special handling and protective clothing
to reduce the danger to site workers.
• The Bulldozer is a simple, versatile machine that has a tremendous number of uses.
Generally a self-propelled track machine, the bulldozer pushes or pulls only. Conversely,
a front end loader uses a front bucket 10 lift soils 1(/ load a truck. The Bulldozer uses
include:
1. Clearing and grubbing
2. Grading earth for short haul distances,
3. Pushing scraper pans
4. Ripping rock
5. Spreading borrow fill
6. General site maintenance
The sizes of bulldozers vary greatly from small machines that use 6-way tilt blades for
fine grading to huge machines that need special permits to be hauled over bridges
Scrapers or Pans excavate soil in one location, haul and dump the soil in another
spot. It is difficult to match the efficiency of scrapers for cut/fill soil operation if
the haul distance is less then a mile. Scrapers are generally pulled by a rubber tire
wheel tractor and are sometimes pushed through the cut area by a bulldozer.
Compaction Equipment increases the
density of the soil and in some cases
provides a smooth, rolled surface.
Compactors achieve these results by either
static weights or vibration. Care must be
taken when using a vibrating compactor
concerning nearby structures and pumping
excess water up through the soil. The
vibrations can literally causes nearby
buildings to fall down. The compactor
surface that touches the soil can be
classified as either steel drum, pneumatic
rubber-tired, or sheepsfoot. Compactors can
be either self-propelled or towed. These
web links show equipment specifications
for several common compactors.
Hydraulic Excavators are extremely useful machines for both bulk excavation
and trench excavation. Usually self-propelled on tracks, excavators operate
hydraulically. The cable driven power shovels are the forerunner of the modern
day excavator. These web links show equipment specifications for several
common hydraulic excavators.
Excavation Safety
Excavation Hazards
1. Excavation Collapse
2. Excavation Flood
3. Excavation as Confined Space (more than 1.2 m deep)
4. Materials Falling into Excavations
5. People and Vehicles Falling into Excavations
6. Destroying Nearby Structures
7. Destroying underground services
General Safety Measures
1. Conduct risk assessment of the task
2. Wear the proper PPE
3. Acquire the proper PTW if needed
4. Post adequate Warning signs and physical barricades
5. Prepare proper Access / Egress
6. Be prepared for emergencies
7. All excavations shall be inspected by a competent person before personnel
can enter
8. Do not enter an excavation if you believe it poses a HAZARD
Safety Measures
1. A Task Specific Risk Assessment shall be conducted for all personnel
entries into open excavations.
2. Where an excavation exceeds 1.2 meters/4 feet in depth, a Permit to work
& Confined Space Entry Certificate shall be required
3. Employees shall not work in excavations, in which water has accumulated,
Unless adequate precautions have been taken to protect employees against
The hazards posed by water accumulation
4. A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of access or egress shall be
provided in all trenches that are 4 feet (1.2.meter) or more in depth, and
shall be positioned at intervals of 25 feet maximum lateral travel for
employees.
5. Ladders shall extend a minimum of 1 meter above ground level and be
secured at the top and placed so as to avoid damage from plant movement
or material handling.
6. A minimum of two access and egress points shall be provided for all
excavations
7. Double guardrail shall be provided on all walkways, ramps or bridges
where employees are required or permitted to cross over excavation or
trenches Safety Measures; Equipment
8. Equipment and materials shall be kept at a safe distance from the edge of
an excavation and suitably secured to prevent it from toppling into the
excavation (minimum 1m from the edge of an excavation).
9. Equipment shall be positioned, or have their exhaust systems routed to, a
safe distance to prevent the products of combustion.