Type C soil cannot be benched.
Appendix B does not permit an employer to bench a type C soil excavation. Therefore, it is not safe to cut steps into a slope of type C soil because the soil’s lack of cohesion is likely to cause the steps to crumble when an employee steps on them. The likelihood that the soil will crumble makes cutting steps into the excavation slope of type C soil an unsafe means of egress under §1926.651(c)(2). In this scenario, where an employee does not use a stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress, which is located against a vertical shored excavation wall, §1926.651(c)(2) requires the employer to provide a mechanism – designed to prevent the sloped soil from crumbling (such as a ladder) – for the employee to walk on, in order to provide additional support for the employee’s weight. [Source]
Type C Soil
Cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tsf (48 kPa) or less, granular soils (including gravel, sand, and loamy sand), submerged soil or soil from which water is freely seeping, submerged rock that is not stable, or material in a sloped, layered system where the layers dip into the excavation or with a slope of four horizontal to one vertical (4H:1V) or steeper. [Source]
Additional Resources:
At Ron Meyer & Associate Excavating, Inc, we’ve been providing underground and commercial construction to private and commercial businesses for 39 years. As the general contractor or subcontractor, our experienced foremen, equipment operators, pipe layers, truck drivers and well-maintained equipment fleet make us an undeniable choice for your excavating services. Let’s talk about your project!
Other Popular Blogs
- 13 Common Types of Excavation (By Type & Material)
- Excavation Shoring Methods & Shielding Types
- 5 Ways of Preventing Soil Erosion (for Homeowners)
- 20 Main Parts of an Excavator
- What is Cut and Fill in Excavation?
- Excavation Terminology: 15 Handy Trenching & Shoring Definitions
As 45 years of experience as an underground/site contactor and a third generation contractor, Ron takes time to go through each individual project with the supervisor and is responsible for all scheduling and equipment logistics. He’s also involved in all troubleshooting for projects.