Safety Update

Safety Update: Ground Disturbance Hazards

Knowing the hazards is vital to the process of pre-job planning and hazard control ultimately for worker protection. So what are the hazards associated with ground disturbance? A common pre-job risk assessment should be conducted prior to work to identify all hazards that could potentially be involved in each specific type of disturbance. Some of the general findings are as follows:

• Excavation stability,
• Presence of hazardous materials/chemicals such as hydrocarbons, gases (H2S), vapors, fumes, asbestos and NORMS,
• Confined spaces,
• Presence of underground utilities and overhead lines,
• Interaction between people and machines,
• Areas of cultural significance, flora/fauna, wildlife corridors,
• The potential for unknown obstructions or utilities that have not been located on a plot plan,
• Ground disturbance activities have the potential for changing conditions,
• Shoring and access/egress,
• Personnel falling into excavations; and
• Human behaviors.

Understanding how each of the common hazards tie into different elements of ground disturbance, is key to the prevention of incidents. In 2 weeks we will look at some control methods that diminish the hazards when preparing for a ground disturbance.

The Topic for July 24, 2008: Ground Disturbance Controls

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