Excavation Safety ... An In-Depth Look

By the time I turned around to see what was going on, all I saw was the dirt coming down on me," he recalled.

It happened so fast. "All of a sudden it was just dark, and I couldn't breathe. It was just so much weight."

Buried Alive!

It's one of the most horrible things that can happen to a human being. You're down in the trench and suddenly you hear a small rustling of dirt and whirl around to see the beginning of a huge avalanche. You scramble frantically for the surface but every move you make is in nightmarish slow motion as the earth engulfs you. You feel yourself being crushed in the blackness, unable to move a muscle. Tragically, this horrible nightmare comes true more often than any of us care to think. Every year, hundreds of workers are killed and thousands injured by cave-ins.

Consider that just one cubic yard of dirt weighs nearly two tons. That's why cave-in tragedies can occur even in "small" excavations--a trench just four feet deep can become a shallow grave; and those who manage to survive often suffer severe and crippling injuries because of the crushing weight of the soil.

The gruesome nature of cave-in deaths and injuries, including devastating psychological after effects, often leads sympathetic juries to grant extremely large settlements against companies found to be negligent.

So along with the human toll, cave-ins can exact a very high price in fines, legal costs and settlements.

The Excavation Safety Program can help you save lives and avoid ruinous fines and lawsuits.

This excavation and trenching safety program can keep your workers and your company from being buried alive.

Cave-in tragedies are preventable, and this program (produced by the Southern Gas Association and the Safety Council of Greater Houston) shows how to comply with federal laws, reduce the possibility of death and disabling injuries, and lower your liability.

The excavation safety program features

• Informative 20-Minute Video, "Excavation Safety--An In-Depth Look," is of great interest to managers, supervisors and workers--because safety is everyone's business. This video provides easy-to-follow techniques for identifying hazardous conditions and utilizing protective systems to prevent cave-ins.
• Supervisor Discussion Guide makes it easy to introduce the videocassette and to lead a thought provoking discussion that will involve all attendees in learning safe work practices.
• Safety Checklist is provided because even the most experienced, safety-conscious people sometimes overlook basic precautions. Just as airline pilots use checklists, so should you.

Learn how to assess seven crucial factors in preventing cave-ins.

1. Soil Composition: Illustrates simple field tests that aid in the classification of soil types on the job site and then shows the proper protective measures for all soil types.
2. Amount of surface and subsurface water present: How to quickly recognize changes in soil stability caused by moisture content.
3. Location and identity of utilities: A quick guide to simple precautions that are often overlooked-- including the International One-Call System.
4. Proximity of traffic and nearby structures: Estimating their effect on the stability of the excavation.
5. Length and depth of the excavation: How they affect soil stability.
6. Length of time excavation is open: How it influences the chances of a cave-in.
7. Climatic conditions: How changing weather conditions greatly affect soil and the excavation protective system.

With this program, you'll find out how to prevent tragic accidents with proper planning, job assessment, careful follow-through, and the ability to recognize hazards.

Learn about protective systems: What to use and when to use it.

• Sloping, benching, shielding, and shoring systems are covered.
• Demonstrates the necessity for the proper use of personal protective equipment.

Supervisors and workers both need to know all the warning signs of a potential cave-in, and the changing conditions that call for inspection and reinspection of excavations.

Pricing

Standard Pricing (Non-SGA or TSA members)
1 copy	$395.00
Multiple copies with initial order	$ 99.00 ea
Special Discounted Pricing (SGA members and Texas Safety Association members only)
1 copy	$295.00
Multiple copies with initial order	$ 99.00 ea
Special 5 Day Preview Option (FREE)
If you would like to preview this program free of charge, your order will be shipped within 72 hours prepaid, with shipping and handling charges added to your invoice. Shipping and handling charges are 1% of the total invoice or a minimum of $7.50. Previews are for purchase consideration only. Your only obligation for this free service is to return the print promptly, insured, postage-paid. If interested in this special 5 day preview, contact Pat Turman at 972-620-4021.
There is a $15 shipping charge for each order. Sales tax of 8.25% will be applied to all orders from Texas.