OSHA has announced a National Safety Stand-Down from May 8th to 12th with the goal of preventing falls in construction. Falls continue to be a leading cause of fatalities 
within the construction industry and the goal of the Stand-Down is to raise awareness in hopes of preventing future incidents.
OSHA has encouraged all construction companies to participate and has established a website to promote the Stand-Down as well as provide resources to assist contractors that wish to participate in the Stand-Down:
https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/
OSHA requires the use of fall protection when construction workers are working at heights of 6 feet or greater above a lower level. In excavation safety there are four (4) fall protection issues that stand out.
(1) The first is found in 1926.651 (L) and states that:
Walkways shall be provided where employees or equipment are required or permitted to cross over excavations. Guardrails which comply with 1926.502(b) shall be provided where walkways are 6 feet or more above lower levels.
This rule applies to all trenches that are 6 feet or deeper and 30 or more inches wide. The top edge height of the guard rails must be 42 inches (plus or minus 3 inches) above the walking/working level. The guardrail systems must be capable of withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds applied within 2 inches of the top edge at any point along the top edge.
Also, toe boards must be provided on the walkways to keep objects from falling onto workers below the walkway.
(2) The second issue covers excavations at remote locations :
Each employee at the edge of an excavation 6 feet or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, or barricades when the excavations are not readily seen because of plant growth or other visual barrier;
An obvious hazard exists when an excavation is hidden from view by weeds or other plant growth. In such a case the excavation should be either covered or adequately barricaded with physical protection.
(3) The third issue addresses protection for employees working around the edge of certain excavations. Employees working around the edge of a well, pit, shaft and similar excavation must be provided with protection so they do not fall into the excavation. The fall protection standard says:
Each employee at the edge of a well, pit, shaft, and similar excavation 6 feet or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers.
(4) The fourth situation includes protecting employees from dropped objects.
Employees shall not be permitted to work on the faces of sloped or benched excavations at levels above other employees except when employees at the lower levels are adequately protected from the hazard of falling, rolling, or sliding material or equipment
If you have questions or concerns regarding solutions to prevent falls in and around excavations, please contact your nearest NTS branch location to discuss the latest products and technologies available to support these goals.
DISCLAIMER: the information contained in this article is provided for general and illustrative purposes only and is not to be considered Site Specific and or designated engineering for any project or work zone, nor is it to be used or consider to be tabulated data, technical data, advice and or counsel to be used on any jobsite. Each project is different and is the responsibility of the employer’s designated Competent Person to make decisions upon what systems and methods may be used in compliance with the federal and local regulations, manufactures tabulated data, engineered drawings and other plans.