How can you prevent cave-ins?
- OSHA requires that all excavations in which employees could potentially be exposed to cave-ins be protected by:
- Sloping or benching the sides of the excavation,
- Supporting the sides of the excavation, or
- Placing a shield between the side of the excavation and the work area. (i.e. trench box)
How do you choose the most appropriate protective system design?
- Designing a protective system can be complex because you must consider many factors: soil classification, depth of cut, water content of soil, changes due to weather and climate, or other operations in the vicinity.
