6.8Excavations#

Replace the following:

Where an excavation is readily accessible to any person and likely to collect or retain water of such a depth as to constitute a danger, or is left unattended, it is required that:

• the excavation is fully covered, fenced or backfilled when the worksite is unattended.
• the excavation is covered, fenced or filled when work is completed.
• only approved skid resistant plating must be used to cover an excavation.
• fully enclose the excavation. Do not use barricades, traffic cones or plastic mesh fencing that is not supported by a solid frame as they are not sufficient to adequately protect road users from excavations.

with:

Where an excavation is readily accessible to vulnerable road users and is either likely to collect or retain water of such a depth as to constitute a danger, or is left unattended, it must be protected by one of the following:

1. 6the excavation is fully covered, fenced or backfilled when the worksite is unattended.
2. 7the excavation is covered, fenced or filled when the worksite is attended and works on the excavation are not active.
3. 8fully enclose the excavation.

Do not use barricades, traffic cones or plastic mesh fencing that is not supported by a solid frame as they are not sufficient to adequately protect vulnerable road users from excavations.

When excavations are covered with road plating, only skid resistant road plating must be used.

Replace the lead-in sentence for the list:

Table 6.1 shows clearance between an excavation, or any ground level hazard associated with the excavation, and the nearest traffic lane, relative to speed and traffic volume. The delineation method is also shown as one of three options. These are as follows:

with:

Table 6.1 defines the recommended protection method for an excavation based on clearance between an excavation or any ground level hazard associated with the excavation, and the nearest traffic lane, relative to speed and traffic volume, and depth of excavation. The protection method which should be implemented is one of the three following options:

Designers should also consider the stability of the excavation face and material (angle of repose and zone of influence) for the depth of excavation. In addition, the proximity of load-bearing sources on the high side of excavations to items such as safety barriers, delineation, traffic, works vehicles or stored material may affect the stability of the excavation face. The presence of shoring as well as the strength of the shoring will also have an impact on the loads and proximity of loads to the excavated face. Greater clearances between the excavation and these items may be required.

Where safety barriers are provided to protect excavations, the requirements of Section 5.3.1 must also be considered. When excavations are located behind safety barriers, the designer is to consider the deflection zone behind the barrier which must be clear of personnel, equipment, and materials at all times. The designer must also take into account the location and clearance to the excavated face and ensure the safety barrier, if impacted by traffic, does not encroach into the excavation or move close enough to the excavation such that the weight of the safety barrier system affects the stability of the excavated face.

Designers are only responsible for considering the temporary traffic management impact of excavations, such as proximity of temporary traffic management workers, traffic (road users including vulnerable road users) or other temporary traffic management measures (such as safety barriers) to ensure they do not negatively impact the excavated face or are negatively impacted by the excavation.

Designers are not trained to calculate or determine elements related to excavations such as the angle of repose, zone of influence, shoring requirements, or the stability of an excavated face. It is the responsibility of others (such as the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU)) to supply the designer with the necessary input data for excavations, so that the designer may then adequately design the temporary traffic management measures for sites with excavations.

6.8.1Lateral excavations#

A site-specific risk assessment (Section 2.2) must be completed for all instances involving lateral excavations in proximity to traffic. Where there is a need to delineate or protect traffic, the requirements in Section 6.8 for excavations may be considered or modified as required.