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Occupational Safety & Health Administration |
Directives
CPL 02-00-069 - CPL 2.69 - Special Emphasis: Trenching and Excavation |
Directives - Table of Contents |
Record Type: | Instruction |
Directive Number: | CPL 02-00-069 |
Old Directive Number: | CPL 2.69 |
Title: | Special Emphasis: Trenching and Excavation |
Information Date: | 09/19/1985 |
OSHA Instruction CPL 2.69 September 19, 1985 Office of General Industry Compliance Assistance Subject: Special Emphasis Program: Trenching and Excavation A. Purpose. This instruction establishes a National Emphasis Program (NEP) for the programmed safety inspection of trenching and excavation operations in accordance with the provisions of the Field operations Manual (FOM), chapter II, E.2.b. (4) B. Scope. This instruction applies OSHA-WIDE. C. Action. Regional Administrators and Area Directors shall ensure that the procedures established in this instruction are adhered to in scheduling programmed inspections. D. Federal Program Change. This instruction describes a Federal program change which affects State programs. Each Regional Administrator shall: 1. Ensure that this change is promptly forwarded to each State designee.E. Background. Because of the continuing incidence of trench/excavation collapses and accompanying loss of life, the agency has determined that an increased OSHA enforcement presence at worksites where such operations are being conducted is warranted. 1. Trenching and excavation work creates hazards to workers which are extremely dangerous. Compliance with OSHA construction standards applicable to such operations is frequently bypassed because of economic pressures, a belief that compliance is unnecessary or an expectation that these short-term operations will go undetected.F. Procedures. 1. All compliance personnel shall be instructed to be on the lookout for trenching or excavation worksites. Every observation of such operations shall be handled as follows:G. Recording in IMIS. The following guidelines shall be applied when recording inspections conducted under this NEP or other inspections where trenching or excavation operations are found:a. Regardless of whether or not a violation is observed, whenever a CSHO sights or receives any other notice of a trenching or excavation operation (including nonformal complaints, other government agency referrals, and reports from members of the public) the CSHO shall:2. The discovery of these worksites may be the result of a specific search to find this type of operation, at the discretion of the Regional Administrator. Although sightings normally will be those which occur during the course of routine travel during duty or nonduty hours, Regional policy may provide that the Area Director saturate areas of high construction activity for the purpose of identifying all trenching and excavation sites within that area as far as reasonably possible verification of information received from sources other than CSHO observation, as indicated in F.1.a. is also permitted under this NEP.(1) Make note of the state and condition of the work operation insofar as it is known, including any apparent serious hazards.b. All trenching and excavation worksites brought to the attention of the Area Office shall be inspected as follows: 1. Current instructions for completing the appropriate inspection classification boxes (Items 24 and 25) on the Inspect ion Report, OSHA-1 Form, as found in the IMIS Manual shall be followed for inspections under this NEP.I. Full-Service Program Support. The Area Office is encouraged to develop outreach programs which will support the enforcement effort. Such programs might consist in letters to employers who engage in trenching or excavation operations explaining the hazards involved and what OSHA standards require. Wide publicity could be given to the National Emphasis Program. Fatality reports involving accidents related to trenches or excavations could be widely distributed in the construction industries. Attention should be focused on the assistance offered by the 7(c)(1) consultation projects in the State.a. The OSHA-1 for any programmed inspection scheduled under the procedures in the FOM, Chapter II, E.2.b. (2) shall be marked "Planned" (Item 24h.) , "Construction" (Item 25a.) and "National Emphasis Program" (Item 25d.). Record "TRENCH" in the space in Item 25d.2. Nonformal complaints, other government agency referrals and reports from the public reporting potential hazards related to trenching or excavation operations shall be recorded on an OSHA-7, Notice of Alleged Safety or Health Hazards, or an OSHA-90, Referral Report, if appropriate, in accordance with current IMIS instructions. They shall be recorded as unprogrammed inspections under the NEP as outlined in G.1.c. Patrick R. Tyson Acting Assistant Secretary DISTRIBUTION: National, Regional and Area Offices All Compliance Officers State Designees 7(c)(1) Project Managers NIOSH Regional Program Directors |
Directives - Table of Contents |
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