What Is an Excavation?

According to OSHA, an excavation is any cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface formed by deliberate earth removal. This type of earth removal is common in construction and mining. It allows workers to access pipelines, wires, and other underground systems. Excavations can be large enough to accommodate several workers at a time or small enough that only part of a worker's body can occupy the space. Even if the area is not large enough for a worker to become totally submerged, there is still the danger of partial entrapment or other injuries. Regardless of size, excavation sites pose unique hazards, and OSHA requires appropriate safety precautions.

The Difference between Trenches and Excavations

Basically, a trench is deeper than it is wide. Every trench is an excavation, but not all excavations are trenches. Trenches can be more dangerous than other types of excavations and therefore require extra safety measures.

In order to be considered a trench, the floor or bottom of the excavation must be less than 15 feet wide, and the area where earth was removed must be deeper than it is wide.

If structures have been built within the trench, the bottom of the excavation is measured from the edge of the structure to the opposite wall or structure.

To learn more about Trenching and Excavation visit our Trenching and Excavation Safety Online Training web page.