What is the first line of safety when working underground?
Table of Contents
- 1 What is the first line of safety when working underground?
- 2 When digging gets close to the estimated location of underground lines the exact location of the installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means?
- 3 What are the three main protection methods against cave ins?
- 4 What size ladder should you use to work on something 10 feet above the ground?
- 5 What is the maximum number of feet a safety net?
- 6 What is excavation slope?
What is the first line of safety when working underground?
Every employee working underground must have a portable hand lamp or cap lamp for emergency use unless natural light or an emergency lighting system provides adequate illumination for escape.
What is the maximum distance an exit can be from any spot in an excavation trench?
OSHA requires employers to provide ladders, steps, ramps, or other safe means of egress for workers working in trench excavations 4 feet (1.22 meters) or deeper. The means of egress must be located so as not to require workers to travel more than 25 feet (7.62 meters) laterally within the trench.
When digging gets close to the estimated location of underground lines the exact location of the installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means?
When excavation operations approach the estimated location of underground installations, the exact location of the installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means. While the excavation is open, underground installations shall be protected, supported or removed as necessary to safeguard employees.
Is a trench considered a confined space?
A trench isn’t considered a confined space except in these circumstances. A confined space has limited or restricted means of entry or exit and is not designed for continuous occupancy by a worker. Examples include tanks, underground vaults, manholes, tunnels, equipment housings, ductwork and pipelines.
What are the three main protection methods against cave ins?
To prevent cave-ins:
- SLOPE or bench trench walls.
- SHORE trench walls with supports, or.
- SHIELD trench walls with trench boxes.
Can a trench be wider than 15 feet?
Trenching Basics A trench is defined as a narrow underground excavation that is deeper than it is wide, and is no wider than 15 feet (4.5 meters).
What size ladder should you use to work on something 10 feet above the ground?
Size
| Max. Height You Want to Reach | Buy This Size Ladder (assumes vertical 12-inch reach) |
|---|---|
| 9 feet | 5-foot |
| 10 feet | 6-foot |
| 11 feet | 7-foot |
| 12 feet | 8-foot |
How deep can you dig without a trench box?
Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater require a protective system unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. If less than 5 feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required.
What is the maximum number of feet a safety net?
Nets shall extend 8 feet beyond the edge of the work surface where employees are exposed and shall be installed as close under the work surface as practical but in no case more than 25 feet below such work surface.
When a trench is 4 feet or more in depth?
In trenches that are 4 feet or more in depth, provide a means of access and egress. Spacing between ladders, stairs or ramps should not be more than 50 feet. No worker should have to travel more than 25 feet laterally to reach a means of egress (exit). Ladders must be secured and extend 36 inches above the landing.
What is excavation slope?
Actual slope means the slope to which an excavation face is excavated. Maximum allowable slope means the steepest incline of an excavation face that is acceptable for the most favorable site conditions as protection against cave-ins, and is expressed as the ratio of horizontal distance to vertical rise (H:V).
Which is the most commonly used form of worker protection in excavation and trenching?
As mentioned earlier, sloping is one of the most common protection systems used. It is by sloping the sides of the trench to a safe angle.