During basement waterproofing projects, contractors use excavators to dig holes. This equipment can dig for house foundations or pits for maintenance holes and pump stations.
Excavations can be hazardous and may require specialized work practices such as shoring. PCBUs should consider the risks, so far as is reasonably practicable, when planning excavation work.
What Does Excavation Mean?
The act of digging or extracting stuff from Earth is called excavation. The word “excavate” comes from the Latin verb “to hollow out, like a cave.” While many people think of construction as a vertical endeavor, nearly every construction project requires excavation work to prepare the site for building.
There are various types of excavation, including strip, trench, basement, and cut and fill. Trench excavation is used to install pipelines or sewer systems, while basement excavation is necessary to construct foundation footings and underground plumbing in new homes. Strip excavation is used to clear surfaces, such as rocky or swampy areas, and can also include grading.
Unclassified excavation is any excavation that doesn’t fall into one of the other categories. All excavation forms can be hazardous, and regular safety inspections must be conducted to ensure all protocols are followed. The deadliest excavation hazard is the cave-in, where walls can collapse, crush, or suffocate workers.
Why Is Excavation Necessary?
During construction projects, excavation is necessary to prepare the ground for building a foundation. It also provides access to underground utilities like water and sewage pipes, electrical cables, gas lines, etc.
These essential services could not travel through the soil without excavating Brunswick, which may result in structural damage and jeopardize workers’ health and safety.
There are three main types of excavation: cut-and-fill, trenching, and muck excavation. Cut-and-fill excavation involves stripping layers of Earth from one area and moving it to another. Trenching excavation involves digging in a pre-set line and may require shoring to keep people safe. Muck excavation removes wet material from a site, possibly due to rain or excess water from the soil. Proper excavation preparation is essential because it ensures that the foundation of a structure will be solid. Without proper excavation, a structure’s foundation can collapse and lead to costly repairs or even destruction of the building or foundation.
Excavation Equipment
There are many different types of equipment needed for excavating. Some big machines like excavators can dig and scoop with a shovel in front and a blade at the back. Others are small and agile, like skid-steer loaders that can fit in tight spaces and move dirt around.
Other equipment includes a dump truck, which helps haul debris and materials to another location. It also helps level and compact soil. Other excavation equipment consists of an auger and a giant drill that can bore holes in the ground.
Some excavation work is done to prepare for construction projects. For example, digging to the depth of a home’s foundation is often necessary to protect it from frost heaving. Other excavation projects are done to uncover artifacts or other objects of historical or archaeological interest. The right equipment can make all the difference in completing a project on time.
Excavation Safety
One of the riskiest construction tasks is trenching and excavation, which can result in significant employee injuries. They must be carefully planned and executed to reduce hazards and risks, including cave-ins, gas leaks, hazardous atmospheres, and falls from heavy equipment. Regular inspections can help prevent accidents and improve work outcomes. During inspections, it is vital to check for the type of excavation, access areas, weather conditions, heavy equipment, and PPE. Additionally, support and warning systems should be in place.
Workaround underground services should be avoided unless there are adequate plans and permission from the service owner. When work cannot be avoided, protective barriers must be used to protect workers from pipes and cables. Mechanical equipment such as shovels and picks should be avoided because they can pierce pipes and create leaks.
Administrative controls such as warning signs and PPE are essential, but more is needed to minimize risk. They can be supplemented by engineering controls such as benching, battering, or shoring the sides of the excavation to reduce the risk of collapse.
