Dealing With Trench Safety Equipment in a Dynamic Environment
If you're responsible for a major new building construction project, you know that you have to dig down before you can go up. In other words, you have to make sure that the building has a solid foundation, and this will require you to excavate a number of deep and narrow trenches before work can proceed in earnest. Of course, a construction site can be a dangerous place at all times, but this is a particularly risky part of the process, and you've got to ensure that all your personnel are protected so that you can continue work without major interruption. What types of equipment should you introduce?
The Process
Much of the heavy work can be performed by digging machines, in order to get the process underway. However, more detailed work may have to be performed by tradesmen, and they will need to work at the bottom of the trench for long periods of time.
Spreaders
In order to protect this environment, it's important to use specially made trench shoring equipment, such as hydraulic vertical shoring spreaders that can be adjusted carefully to force the sides of the trench into place.
Shoring Panels
Finn form shoring panels could be used in place of the spreaders if you have smaller or narrower trenches to deal with, and the beauty of this approach is that you can use various panels of different sizes as you proceed. Always make sure that you configure the system correctly, however, so you provide the best work environment with the highest protection.
Trench Boxes
You can also choose to get purpose-made trench boxes that are designed to deal with tremendous lateral force. They're set up to be as flexible as possible, so they can be installed in real-world conditions and they can be lifted or adjusted while in place for even more flexibility.
Careful Attention to Detail
Remember, there is no such thing as a "standard" trench, and you may have to constantly adjust your work process to accommodate. You may have to deal with unforeseen circumstances and deviate from your original plan, but while you can always give new instructions to your workers, you must never compromise on their safety. Consequently, always ensure that you use the highest quality trench safety equipment made by manufacturers with a proven track record in the field. If you're not sure how to configure your spreaders, panels or boxes, then you should ask your supplier for guidance before you continue.