The Safetypro Podcast - Helping You Manage Workplace Safety One Episode At A Time!

Powered by iReportSource   OSHA Sloping/Benching Diagrams I am sure you may have heard about trenching incidents near you or reading about them on a national level. Managing safety for these operations is quite simple once you know the requirements and understand some of the nuances that go along with the different soils and protective systems we have. Hazards Cave-ins pose the greatest risk with these activities and are much more likely than other excavation-related accidents to result in worker fatalities. Other potential hazards include falls, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres, and incidents involving mobile equipment. One cubic foot of soil can weigh 100 pounds. One cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car, and the kinetic energy of soil falling 3, 4, 10 feet, and you can see the danger here. It has been said that an unprotected trench is an early grave. So let me start by stating the obvious: do not enter an unprotected trench. Protective Systems So at what point do we need to protect a trench? A