Contents

• Follow all excavation entry requirements established by the competent person.
• Sloping, benching, shoring, shielding, or other protective systems are required to protect
personnel from cave-ins except when the excavation is made entirely in stable rock or is less
than 5 feet deep and there is no indication of possible cave-in, as determined by the excavation
competent person.
• Trenches greater than 4 feet deep shall be provided with a ladder, stairway, or ramp positioned
so that the maximum lateral travel distance is no more than 25 feet.
• Guardrails, fences, or barricades shall be installed at excavations 6 feet or deeper when the
excavations are not readily visible because of plant growth or other visual obstruction.
• Do not enter excavations where protective systems are damaged or unstable.
• Do not enter excavations where objects or structures above the work location may become
unstable and fall into the excavation.
• Do not enter excavations with the potential for a hazardous atmosphere until the air has been
tested and found to be at safe levels.
• Do not enter excavations with accumulated water unless precautions have been taken to
prevent excavation cave-in.
• H&S Self-Assessment Checklist – Excavations, found in Attachment 6 of this plan, is an example
of the type of evaluation that shall be used to inspect excavation activity prior to entry.
2.2.14 Fall Protection
(Reference CH2M HILL SOP HSE&Q-308, Fall Protection)
• Fall protection systems must be used to eliminate fall hazards when performing construction
activities at a height of 6 feet or greater and when performing general industry activities at a
height of 4 feet or greater.
• CH2M HILL Staff exposed to fall hazards must complete initial fall protection training by
completing either the CH2M HILL 10-Hour Construction Safety Awareness training course or
the Fall Protection computer-based training module. Staff must also receive project-specific fall
protection training. Staff shall not use fall protection systems for which they have not been
trained.
• The DSC must complete the Project Fall Protection Evaluation Form presented in Attachment 5
of this plan and provide project-specific fall protection training to all CH2M HILL staff exposed
to fall hazards.
• When CH2M HILL designs or installs fall protection systems, staff shall be qualified as fall
protection competent persons or work directly under the supervision of a CH2M HILL fall
protection competent person.
• The company responsible for the fall protection system shall provide a fall protection competent
person to inspect and oversee the use of fall protection system. CH2M HILL staff shall be aware
of and follow all requirements established by the fall protection competent person for the use
and limitation of the fall protection system.
• When horizontal lifelines are used, the company responsible for the lifeline system shall
provide a fall protection qualified person to oversee the design, installation, and use of the
horizontal lifeline.
• Only one person shall be simultaneously attached to a vertical lifeline and shall also be attached
to a separate independent lifeline.
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