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KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO ...

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APPENDIX F<br />

4.5.11 Excavation Safety<br />

Any excavation or trenching operation that is four ft or more in depth will be performed in accordance<br />

with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P. A Contractor excavation permit must be completed by a competent person<br />

before excavation commences and at least each day thereafter. This permit requires daily inspections of<br />

the operation and adjacent areas. Specific situations addressed in these inspections are possible cave-ins,<br />

indications of failure of protective systems (benching, sloping, or shoring), hazardous atmospheres and<br />

other hazardous conditions. If the competent person finds evidence of any of these situations, exposed<br />

employees will be removed from the hazardous area until the necessary precautions have been taken to<br />

ensure their safety. Also, NMOC (505) 260-1990, must be notified before any excavation work begins<br />

regardless of depth. A dig permit from Kirtland AFB is required before any excavation begins regardless<br />

of the depth of the excavation (See Appendix H). Exploratory techniques, such as “pot-holing” will be<br />

performed to insure that any excavation near utilities can be performed safely. Dust suppression measures<br />

may include the use of a compound, which will make the soil less likely to dust or use water. However,<br />

work procedures as soil is moved and especially as it is lifted and loaded must be performed in such a<br />

way to minimize the generation of dust. For example, loaders dumping soil into a dump truck or a<br />

stockpile may have to lower the bucket as close as possible to the truck or stockpile before dumping to<br />

reduce the drop height of the soil and, thereby, reduce the amount of dust generated.<br />

The following provides general requirements governing activities in and around excavation and trenches,<br />

as well as the requirements for the selection and use of protective systems.<br />

Surfaces surrounding open trenches and excavations shall have all surface hazards removed.<br />

All utilities shall be located and cleared prior to initiating digging. Public or facility utility<br />

groups shall be utilized where possible for this purpose. In the absence of either, the SHSS<br />

shall specify the procedures to be used to clear utilities in consultation with a Safety<br />

Professional and project manager. When the excavation is open, utilities shall be supported<br />

and protected from damage. Clearance and support methods shall be documented on the daily<br />

inspection checklist. EM 385-1-1, Section 25, requires the installation of perimeter protective<br />

systems for all open excavations. Class I perimeter protection is the most protective and<br />

requires installation of fences and barricades which would prevent members of the public<br />

(people other than workers) from entering or falling into the excavation. Consult the EM<br />

385-1-1 for the types of protective system required for various situations.<br />

Where structural ramps are used for egress they shall be installed in accordance with 29 CFR<br />

1926.651(c)(1).<br />

Stairways, ladders, or ramps shall be provided as means of egress in all trenches 4 ft or more<br />

in depth. Travel distance shall be no more than 25 ft between means of exit.<br />

Employees exposed to vehicular traffic shall wear traffic vests.<br />

No employee shall be permitted under loads being lifted or under loads being unloaded from<br />

vehicles.<br />

When vehicles and machinery are operating adjacent to excavations warning systems such as<br />

stop logs or barricades shall be utilized to prevent vehicles from entering the excavation or<br />

trench. In any case, vehicles, equipment, materials and supplies will never be placed closer<br />

than 2 ft from the edge of any excavation. A professional engineer may have to calculate the<br />

Kirtland AFB<br />

Base-Wide Health and Safety Plan F-42 April 2004

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