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Subchapter 4. Construction Safety Orders
Article 6. Excavations
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§1541.1. Requirements for Protective Systems, Appendix F


The following figures are a graphic summary of the requirements contained in Article 6 for excavations 20 feet or less in depth. Protective systems for use in excavations more than 20 feet in depth must be designed by a registered professional engineer in accordance with 1541.1(b) and (c).


                     _________________________
                    |                         |
                    | Is the excavation more  |
                    | than 5 feet in depth?   |
                    |_________________________|
                                |
                                |
  ____________________          |           ___________________

 |                    |   NO    |  YES     |                   |

 | Is there potential |_________|__________| Is the excavation |

 |    for cave-in?    |                    |   entirely in     |

 |____________________|                    |   stable rock?    |
         |                                 |___________________|
         |                                               |
         |            ________________________           |
         |    NO     |                        |   YES    |
         |___________| Excavation may be made |__________|
         |           |  with vertical sides.  |          |
         |           |________________________|          |
         |                                               |
         |                                               |
         |            ________________________           |
         |   YES     |                        |    NO    |
         |___________|  Excavation must be    |__________|
                     |  sloped, shored, or    |
                     |      shielded.         |
                     |________________________|
                                |
           Sloping              |      Shoring or shielding
          ______________________|________________________
         | selected.                   selected.         |
         |                                               |
   ______|_________                             _________|______
  |                |                           |                |
  | Go to Figure 2 |                           | Go to Figure 3 |
  |________________|                           |________________|



                FIGURE 1 - PRELIMINARY DECISIONS

                     _________________________
                    |                         |
                    | Sloping selected as the |
                    |  method of protection   |
                    |_________________________|
                                |
                                |
                     ___________|______________
                    |                          |
                    | Will soil classification |
                    |   be made in accordance  |
                    |  with 1541.1(b)?         |
                    |__________________________|
                                |
                                |
                       YES      |       NO
          ______________________|______________________
         |                                             |
         |                                             |

 ________|____________________        _________________|________
|                             |      |                          |
| Excavation must comply with |      | Excavations must comply  |
| one of the following three  |      | with 1541.1(b)(1)        |
| options:                    |      | which requires a slope   |
|_____________________________|      | of 1 1/2 H:1V (34 deg.). |
|                             |      |__________________________|
|        Option 1:            |
|                             |
| 1541.1(b)(2) which          |
| requires Appendices A       |
| and B to be followed        |
|                             |
|                             |
|        Option 2:            |
|                             |
| 1541.1(b)(3) which          |
| requires other tabulated    |    FIGURE 2 - SLOPING OPTIONS
| data (see definition) to    |
| be followed.                |
|                             |
|                             |
|        Option 3:            |
|                             |
| 1541.1(b)(4) which          |
| requires the excavation to  |
| be designed by a registered |
| professional engineer.      |
|_____________________________|



                 ____________________________________
                |                                    |
                |   Shoring or shielding selected    |
                |   as the method of protection.     |
                |____________________________________|
                                |
                                |
                 _______________|____________________
                |                                    |
                | Soil Classification is required    |
                | when shoring or shielding is       |
                | used. The excavation must comply   |
                | with one of the following four     |
                | options:                           |
                |____________________________________|
                |                                    |
                |            Option 1                |
                |                                    |
                | 1541.1(c)(1) which requires        |
                | Appendices A and C to be followed  |
                | (e.g. timber shoring).             |
                |                                    |
                |                                    |
                |            Option 2                |
                |                                    |
                | 1541.1(c)(2) which requires        |
                | manufacturers data to be followed  |
                | (e.g. hydraulic shoring, trench    |
                | jacks, air shores, shields).       |
                |                                    |
                |                                    |
                |            Option 3                |
                |                                    |
                | 1541.1(c)(3) which requires        |
                | tabulated data (see definition) to |
                | be followed (e.g. any system as    |
                | per the tabulated data).           |
                |                                    |
                |                                    |
                |            Option 4                |
                |                                    |
                | 1541.1(c)(4) which requires        |
                | the excavation to be designed by a |
                | registered professional engineer   |
                | (e.g. any designed system).        |
                |____________________________________|

               FIGURE 3 - SHORING AND SHIELDING OPTIONS


Note:Authority cited:Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3< Labor Code

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