Excavation and Trenching Safety: A Comprehensive Study on Excavation and Trenching Safety
184
Excavation and Trenching in Construction A Comprehensive Study of Excavation and Trenching Safety A Final Paper Presented to the Faculty of the School of Engineering Warren National University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Safety Engineering
Excavation and Trenching Safety: A Comprehensive Study on Excavation and Trenching Safety
ABSTRACTWhen the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (Occupational Safety, 1989) promulgated the rules governing excavations in 1971, the United States work-force was losing over 70 workers in trenching and excavation related fatalities each year. Since 1971, the average number of fatalities has dropped; however, trenching and excavation fatality numbers were still high (Excavations, 2000). A study by the Eastern Research Group which was in line with OSHA’s statistics showed that accidents are under reported; therefore the reported numbers do not reflect the actual losses. By 1982 more than 80 construction workers per year were fatally injured in excavation related accidents. From 1992- 2002, an average of 35 construction workers were killed in trench-related injuries followed by 2003, which reported 53 trench-related fatalities of which 71% were from cave-ins (Spike in Trench Related, 2004). These numbers show that since OSHAs regulations have taken effect we have seen about a 33% drop in trench fatalities. Some view this change as a positive, while others still believe any deaths are unacceptable. The data relevant to this study was found in a number of locations including the archives of several associations and organizations; literature searches within these archives turned up magazines articles, statistics, interviews and studies by those organizations. Interviews of industry professionals, as well as personal history within the business presented a unique study of the data. With the ongoing injuries and deaths attributed to excavation work, little will change unless the mind set of those working in excavations change. This is not the only problem, with an understaffed Department of Labor; the threat of a compliance officer from OSHA showing up on the doorstep is highly unlikely. Even with OSHAs focus on excavations and their attempt to make the standards more user friendly and the efforts of consultation to get the word out, little has been accomplished in changing the culture on many sites.
