Guaranteeing Work Safety In and Around Excavation Works ...

People who have a business establishment are required to observe and do their responsibilities based on the Work Health and Safety Act to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all the employees. The employer and staff members are also liable to prosecution under the WHS Act if they fail to provide a safe work environment.

Persons conducting business or undertakings at a workplace must manage risks associated with all kinds of excavations at the workplace, no matter how deep.

An excavation work is described as anything that involves the removal of soil or rock from a site to form an open face, hole or cavity using tools, equipment or explosives.

All occupational health and safety hazards must be managed in accordance with risk management procedures. In managing risks associated with excavation works, it is required a planned approach:

Before the commencement of excavation, all types of excavation work should be planned with proper consultation with all the persons involved. These people include the excavation team, geotechnical engineers, contractors involved in the process, RTA supervisors, engineers and excavation supervisor.

All types of excavation are subject to risk identification, assessment and elimination and/or control before its commencement, or when there is a change that may introduce new hazards and risks. The risks that should be managed include collapse of excavation, inadvertent contact with utility services, debris falling into the excavation site, persons falling into the excavation, exposure of hazardous substance and drowning.

Below are the factors that require consideration during the risk assessment process:

* The working environment?s nature and condition and * The risks or chances of flooding or water inrush from any type of source * The distance of under and above ground electricity cables, gas mains or other utility services * The excavation site?s space and how it will look during the excavation process * The distance and area of any previous or planned excavations * The proximity of structures, like buildings, to the planned excavation site * The presence of any mobile plant and its possible effects on the stability and proximity of the excavation. * The placement site of excavated materials or resources and their possible effects on the stability, access, egress and depth of the excavation. * The possibilities of experiencing falls or dislodgements of earth, rock or other materials * Accessibility of egress * The vehicular traffic and ground vibration surrounding the site * The pedestrian and vehicular traffic over or on top of a covered excavation * The depth of the excavation work * The safety and security of the site * The possible exposure and risks to hazardous substances or materials

An adequate system of safety, involving shoring, earth retention equipment or other appropriate measures (such as benching or battering) must be used to control risks arising from one or more of the following:

* The fall or dislodgement of earth/rock or other materials, * The instability of the excavation or adjoining structure, * The in rush of water (or any other substance e.g. sewer), * The placement of excavated material, * Instability due to person or plant working adjacent to the excavation.

A shoring system may not be necessary if there is no likelihood of a fall or dislodgment of earth, rock or other material from a height of more than 1.5 meters that may bury, trap or strike a person who is in the excavation, due to the slope and nature of the excavation site. A risk assessment should be conducted and given documentation to check if the hazards have been identified and assessed.

Those who are involved in or associate with the excavation must be provided with appropriate information, instruction and training. The areas that should be covered during the Training and Instruction are the following:

The following are the work methods and manual handling procedures that are needed for the work to be performed:

* The content of the SWMS and the safe systems required * The appropriate use, care, maintenance and storage of PPE, tools and equipment * The appropriate use of plant and associated equipment, hazardous substances and the proper manner of electrical safety * Familiarity with emergency and communications procedures * Usage of critical warning signs for collapse * Other policies and procedures associated with the excavation

Whatever excavation work has a depth of 1.5 meters and above requires a written Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS).

To ensure the safety of people working on the site, as well as the civilians, all excavations must be secured and barricaded. Examples of different types of securing or barricading may include:

* Fences, barricades or hoarding that surround the trenches, pits or excavations within the site * External barricade or fencing surrounding the perimeter of the site * Proper covering of pile or cable holes when they are left unattended * Clear marking, signage and labeling of all kinds of excavations of whatever depth as a means to alert civilians and plant traffic.

NOTE: All safety barriers, fences, delineations or markings must comply with Australian standards and legislative duties.

For medium to high-risk excavation works, no person is allowed to work alone at any time. There should be a standby assigned to check on the working person. The standby person should be located outside the zone of influence at all times. The supervisor may also act as the standby person should there not be anyone available to stand by.

NOTE: The zone influence is the area surrounding the excavation, which is prone to collapse and/or slippage. Refer to point ?5. Definitions? in the ?Working in and Around an Excavation Procedure? for more information.

Throughout the excavation process, safe access and egress must be provided, including to and from caissons and cofferdams. The design drawings should include details of access and egress provisions for cofferdams and caissons. If fixed ladders and platforms are not provided as means of access, a further written risk assessment must be conducted before the commencement of the work.

Emergency procedures must be developed in advance and circulated to all persons working in or near the excavation.

It is important to note that excavation failures are very dangerous and risky as they may occur quickly, which may limit the ability of workers (and in some situations, civilians near the vicinity) to escape, especially if the collapse is large or is by a trench.

The speed of an excavation collapse elevates the risks associated with excavation work. Being hit by the falling earth may bury or crush any person and could results to death by internal injuries or suffocation.

The magnitude of the consequences particularly in relation to trench collapse highlights the need to protect workers and other person working at or near excavations.

If you?ve got questions about anything in this article or anything related to Ensafe or the construction industry, you can contact us via phone or email or leave your question in the comments below.

Source: http://immfinancial.com/2012/guaranteeing-work-safety-in-and-around-excavation-works/

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