MURPHY
OIL U.S.A., Inc.
MERAUX REFINERY
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SSP-0006
Date Issued:
Supersedes:
Page 1 of 3
11-02-09
10-31-08
TITLE:
Procedure for Excavation Permits
PURPOSE:
Due to the possibility of damaging buried piping, wiring and
the potential injuries which may ensue, an excavation permit
is required to perform machinery-assisted excavation and
similar activities.
Note: The excavation permit is required in addition to a safe
work permit.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Department Managers - Murphy Oil Management shall fully
support the safe practices covered by this document.
Any
deviation shall follow SSP-0029 “Deviation From Standard
Safety Procedures.”
Operations Area Superintendent buried process or utility piping,
underground in the area of the
excavation permit if any hazardous
Assess the possibility of
tubing, etc. being located
excavation.
Rescind the
conditions arise.
Environmental
Department
–
Assess
the
possibility
of
contaminated soil being located in the excavation area.
Determine the storage and disposition requirements of spoils
which will be accumulated during the excavation.
Safety Department – When required, assess the excavation
location for underground fire water piping, and the need for
sloping/shoring.
Rescind the excavation permit if any
hazardous conditions arise.
Project Engineer – Determine the location and dimensions of
the excavation site. Obtain the MOUSA excavation permit from
the intranet.
Ensure proper communication between all
parties relative to the excavation site and work scope.
Electrical Engineer or Maintenance Electrical Foreman Assess the possibility of buried conduit, cable, duct banks,
etc. being located underground in the area of the excavation.
Rescind the excavation permit if any hazardous conditions
MURPHY
OIL U.S.A., Inc.
MERAUX REFINERY
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SSP-0006
Date Issued:
Supersedes:
Page 2 of 3
11-02-09
10-31-08
arise.
Area Maintenance Foreman - Assess the possibility of buried
pipe, conduit, cable, tubing, culverts and any other
obstruction which could be located in the excavation area.
Rescind the excavation permit if any hazardous conditions
arise.

Excavation Foreman - Obtain the MOUSA excavation permit from
the intranet.
Fill out the “work description and extent”
portion of the excavation permit.
Inform all personnel
signing the excavation permit of any changes in equipment,
scope, etc. Ensure the work description and extent, and
special precautions sections of the excavation permit are
reviewed with all personnel working in his crew. Ensure that
upon assignment, all equipment operators review and sign the
excavation permit.

Excavation Equipment Operator – Review the MOUSA excavation
and safe work permit. Follow all precautions listed on the
excavation and safe work permit. Sign the excavation permit
to acknowledge that the permit has been reviewed and is
understood.
Notify excavation foreman if any unsafe
conditions are observed.
PROCEDURE:
Upon starting a job task which will involve ground breaking
with machinery, an excavation permit must be printed from the
forms tab on the MOUSA intranet.
Such ground breaking
activities include, but are not limited to, any digging with
a backhoe/trackhoe, motor grading, pile driving, mechanical
trenching ("ditch witching"), concrete or asphalt breaking
with pneumatic hammers, concrete saws or rams, soil boring,
soil auguring, fence post installation, etc.
The Electrical Engineer, Electrical Maintenance Foreman,
and/or the Area Maintenance Foreman will be advised by the
Project Engineer and/or Excavation Foreman of the extent of
the intended excavation.
Upon notification, the Electrical
Engineer, Electrical Maintenance Foreman, Area Maintenance
Foreman/Construction Coordinator, Excavation Foreman, and
Project Manager will investigate the scope of the job by
performing a field walk to assess the possibility of buried
pipe, conduit, cable, tubing, culverts and any other
obstruction which could be located in the excavation area. If
MURPHY
MERAUX REFINERY
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SSP-0006
OIL U.S.A., Inc.
Date Issued:
Supersedes:
Page 3 of 3
11-02-09
10-31-08
necessary, he will consult with the Area Operations
Superintendent, Safety Department and/or anyone else who can
assist in assessing the hazards of and damage risk to
underground obstructions located within the excavation area.
If the Electrical Engineer, Electrical Maintenance Foreman,
Area Maintenance Foreman/Construction Coordinator, Excavation
Foreman, and Project Manager deem the intended activity safe,
they will sign the Excavation Permit (see Form E-300). The
permit will be prepared and list the date, location,
excavating company's name, general description and extent of
the work, special precautions to be taken and signed by the
Electrical Engineer/Area Maintenance Foreman, the operations
area
superintendent,
an
environmental
department
representative, the project engineer,
and the excavation
foreman.

The excavation foreman will keep the original and the Project
Engineer/Manager will retain a copy until the job is
completed. The permit shall be issued once and remain valid
through the completion of the job or until the scope of the
work changes. The excavation permit may be rescinded by the
Electrical Engineer/Area Maintenance Foreman, Operations Area
Superintendent or Safety Department.

NOTE: Manual digging for exploratory purposes may be required
by the Electrical Engineer, Maintenance Electrical Foreman,
Area Maintenance Foreman, or Project Engineer to more safely
evaluate the area prior to using powered excavation
equipment.
Issued by:
Michael Shephard, CSP
Safety and Security Superintendent
Approved by:
Doug Frueh
Manager – Safety, Security & PSM
Approved by:
Lynn Bourgeois
Refinery Manager
MURPHY
OIL U.S.A., Inc.
MERAUX REFINERY
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SSP-0006
Date Issued:
Supersedes:
Attachment
11-02-09
10-31-08