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    Are Trench Excavations Confined Spaces

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    jaydee
    Trench excavations may meet the definition of a confined space according to OSHA if they are large enough for an employee to enter, have limited means of entry/exit, and are not designed for continuous occupancy. Trenches can contain hazardous atmospheres like carbon monoxide or methane that displace breathable air. Trenches without proper sloping or protection from collapse also present the risk of entrapment from cave-ins. Additionally, trenches over 4 feet deep that require ladders for entry pose other risks like falling. As a result, OSHA guidelines state that all trenches over 4 feet should be treated as permit-required confined spaces until hazards have been ruled out.

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    Are Trench Excavations Confined Spaces

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    jaydee
    31 views2 pages
    Trench excavations may meet the definition of a confined space according to OSHA if they are large enough for an employee to enter, have limited means of entry/exit, and are not designed for continuous occupancy. Trenches can contain hazardous atmospheres like carbon monoxide or methane that displace breathable air. Trenches without proper sloping or protection from collapse also present the risk of entrapment from cave-ins. Additionally, trenches over 4 feet deep that require ladders for entry pose other risks like falling. As a result, OSHA guidelines state that all trenches over 4 feet should be treated as permit-required confined spaces until hazards have been ruled out.

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    Trench excavations may meet the definition of a confined space according to OSHA if they are large enough for an employee to enter, have limited means of entry/exit, and are not designed for continuous occupancy. Trenches can contain hazardous atmospheres like carbon monoxide or methane that displace breathable air. Trenches without proper sloping or protection from collapse also present the risk of entrapment from cave-ins. Additionally, trenches over 4 feet deep that require ladders for entry pose other risks like falling. As a result, OSHA guidelines state that all trenches over 4 feet should be treated as permit-required confined spaces until hazards have been ruled out.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    31 views2 pages

    Are Trench Excavations Confined Spaces

    Uploaded by

    jaydee
    Trench excavations may meet the definition of a confined space according to OSHA if they are large enough for an employee to enter, have limited means of entry/exit, and are not designed for continuous occupancy. Trenches can contain hazardous atmospheres like carbon monoxide or methane that displace breathable air. Trenches without proper sloping or protection from collapse also present the risk of entrapment from cave-ins. Additionally, trenches over 4 feet deep that require ladders for entry pose other risks like falling. As a result, OSHA guidelines state that all trenches over 4 feet should be treated as permit-required confined spaces until hazards have been ruled out.

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    ARE TRENCH EXCAVATIONS CONFINED SPACES?

    The answer to this question is not as obvious as you may think. Let's review
    some terminology. By OSHA definition, a confined space means the space is:
    large enough and so configured that an employee can enter and perform
    assigned work;
    has limited or restricted means for entry or exit;
    is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
    A trench excavation would certainly seem to meet the confined space criteria.
    By OSHA definition, a trench excavation means;
    a narrow excavation (in relation to its length) made below the surface of
    the ground;
    in general, the depth is greater than the width;
    but the width of a trench (measured at the bottom) is not greater than 15
    feet.
    How Does a Permit-Required Confined Space relate to a trench excavation?
    A permit-required confined space has one or more of the following
    characteristics:
    (1) Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere.
    Oxygen deficient, toxic, or flammable atmospheres can occur in
    trenches, displacing the normal air. Some of the most common gases of
    concern are carbon monoxide, methane, and hydrogen sulfide. These
    gases should be suspected whenever trenches are near combustion
    engines, sewage lines, landfills, swamps, leaking underground storage
    tanks, or when decomposing organic matter is nearby. Hydrogen sulfide
    is heavier than air and may fill the trench starting from the bottom.
    OSHA law states that if hazardous atmospheres could reasonably be
    expected to exist, the atmospheres shall be tested before employees enter
    excavations greater than 4 feet in depth.
    (2) Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant.

    (3) Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or


    asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes
    downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section.
    Trenches without adequate sloping, or other protection from collapse,
    create potential for entrants to be engulfed in a cave-in of the
    surrounding earth. Excessive rain water, ground water, or liquid from
    leaking or damaged pipes also may create conditions for engulfing
    trench entrants, which meets the criteria for both 2 and 3 above.
    (4) Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.
    In addition, access into trenches over 4 feet in depth can usually be
    accomplished only by ladder, which poses known risks of slipping and
    falling. Entrants could also be struck by excavation machinery or by
    falling materials from overhead.
    By now you realize that a trench excavation may indeed present many of the
    hazards of a permit-required confined space. In general practice, all trench
    excavations over 4 feet in depth should be considered as confined spaces until
    all of the potential, associated hazards have been ruled out by a competent
    person.

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