3 Things to Keep In Mind When Working On a Bridge
When you’re looking to build a bridge, or repair and existing one, you have to keep in mind the excavation shoring requirements. Generally, the government will be in charge or bridge building or repair, but that doesn’t excuse them. These requirements are for the safety and stability of the structure and the workers that build it. They are set in place by safety boards and organizations, OSHA being the foremost involved.
Here are some of the excavation shoring requirements that OSHA has set in place concerning bridge construction, no matter the types of bridges:
- Protect Yourself
The most important rule of the OSHA requirements and restrictions is that you do not enter an unprotected trench! Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater must have a protective system. This rule is for the protection of the workers. Unless the trench box is made entirely of stable rock, you need to have a protective system.
If the trench is 20 feet (6.1 meters) deep or more, it must have a protective system designed by a registered professional engineer. Or, barring that, be based on a design pre-approved by a registered professional engineer. - Keep in Mind The Dangers Of Trenching and Excavation!
A cave-in is the greatest risk and far more likely than any other excavation-related accident. Other potential accidents include falling loads, hazardous atmospheres, and incidents involving mobile shoring equipment.
Cave-ins and collapses cause dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries each year. - A Competent Individual
OSHA requires inspects daily and, as conditions change, by a competent individual prior to any worker entering the site. A competent individual is someone who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards. They are then charged with preventing or setting in place measures to avoid these hazards.
There are a lot of rules and regulations associated with the act of bridge building, and a lot of safety rules that one has to keep in mind while working in extremely hazardous conditions. These rules are set in place to keep workers healthy and safe and to prevent both losses of life, and money.
Bridges are one of the most important parts of American infrastructure, it’s important that they are kept in good condition. But it’s also important that the workers that build them are too. Get more here. Get more here.