BRND
Work Instruction
Document Number: BESA-08.WI03
Document Title: Excavation Works
Functional Area: All Sites
Document Owner: Projects Management
Responsible Person: Nolitha Dlamini
Document Revision: 2 / FEB06
1.
Purpose
To guide Site Managers and Supervisors to the correct safety measures required by law as to excavation works
on all sites and company operations.
2.
3.
Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms
2.1
Timbering: The wooden vertical and horizontal supports
2.2
Sheeting: The metal vertical side supports (sheet piling/trench shoring)
2.3
Peeling away: Collapsing of the trench wall
2.4
Waling: The horizontal support members
2.5
Strut: The horizontal support member which spans the trench from side to side to support sheeting
2.6
Excavation: It is any man made cut, cavity, trench or depression in the earth’s surface, formed by earth
removal
2.7
Competent person: The person who has been trained in identifying existing and predictable hazards in
the surroundings, or working conditions, which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous to employees
and who has authorisation to make prompt, corrective measures to eliminate them
2.8
Regulations: Part of the Occupational Health & Safety Act, number 85 of 1993.
Instruction
3.1
Actions
a)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall not permit any person to work in an excavation which
is more than 1,5m deep and which has not been adequately shored or braced if there is a danger
of the overhanging material or the sides of the excavation collapsing.
b)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall take steps to ensure that any support, shoring or
bracing contemplated, is designed and constructed to support the overhanging material or the
sides of the excavation in question.
c)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall, where the stability of an adjoining building, structure
or road is likely to be affected by demolition work on a building or making of an excavation, take
such steps as may be necessary to ensure the stability of such building, structure or road and the
safety of persons.
d)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall ascertain as far as is practicable the location and
nature of electricity, water, gas or other services which may in some way be affected by the work
to be performed, and shall before the commencement of such work, take such steps as may be
necessary under the circumstances to adequately support and protect such services for as long
as required.
e)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall cause convenient and safe means of access to be
provided to every excavation in which persons are required to work. In the case of an excavation,
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Excavation Works
which is more than 50m in length and more than 1.5m deep, a safe means of access shall be
provided at intervals of not more than 50m.
3.2
f)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall cause every excavation which is more then 1,5m
deep, including all bracing and shoring, to be inspected (by a person who is competent to
pronounce on the safety thereof), at least once before every shift and before the commencement
of work after rain, to ensure the safety of persons, working in or in the vicinity of the excavations.
g)
The Site Manager, or his/her designee, shall ensure that every excavation which is accessible to
the public or which is adjacent to public roads or thoroughfares, that could cause the safety of
persons be endangered:
i)
Is adequately protected by a barrier or fence at least one metre high and as close to the
excavation as is practicable
ii)
Is provided with red warning lights or any other clearly visible boundary indicators at night
or when visibility conditions are poor.
Records
a)
All safety and inspection records shall be filed for reference in the Site Safety File.
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