TABLE OF CONTENTS This chapter consists of the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Regulations 29 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 1926 subpart P-Excavation. These standards apply to construction, and in the absence of any overriding authority are the rules by which contractors must abide.
These rules are only applicable in the USA, and then only in the absence of individual state authority which may apply. A number of provinces in Canada have their own regulations, as do some states in the USA. WISHA (State of Washington, OROSHA (State of Oregon) and CalOSHA (State of California) are examples of regulatory codes which may take precedence over the Federal regulations. In general, state regulations in matters of construction safety will take precedence if they are more stringent than federal regulations.
The reader is cautioned to investigate all applicable regulations before utilizing the federal OSHA regulations which follow.
(a)
Scope and application. This subpart applies to all open excavations made in the earth's surface. Excavations are defined to include trenches.
(b)
Definitions applicable to this subpart.
Accepted engineering practices means those requirements which are compatible with standards of practice required by a registered professional engineer.
Aluminum Hydraulic Shoring means a pre-engineered shoring system comprised of aluminum hydraulic cylinders (crossbraces) used in conjunction with vertical rails (uprights) or horizontal rails (wales). Such system is designed specifically to support the sidewalls of an excavation and prevent cave-ins.
Bell-bottom pier hole means a...
