The risks of working in deep trenches are water seepage and cave-ins. Shifting soil or excess moisture can cause the dirt and clay around a trench to unexpectedly collapse. This could trap workers in the trench under the soil causing injury or death. Trench support, such as a shoring box, prevents these cave-ins from happening.
Any construction or excavation site that involves digging will need some type of wall protection to prevent the sides of the excavated area from caving in. Employees working in an excavated area are in danger of the sides of the trench collapsing. A shoring box should be installed to prevent cave-ins and protect the lives of the workers.
A shoring box sometimes referred to as a trench box, is a piece of essential equipment used to protect the health and safety of utility workers and contractors while working in an excavated trench. Shoring boxes are made up of two heavy-duty side walls with beams that brace the walls to ensure there is not a cave-in. The walls are typically made of heavy-duty steel or aluminum.
There are many instances when shoring equipment should be used. When installing cables such as telephone lines or laying pipes underground in an excavated area, a shoring box will be installed to prevent the walls from collapsing and to allow a clear work area for the installation of pipes or cables.
There are different material types and sizes of shoring boxes that can be used depending on the size of the excavated trench. Some are lightweight and easily moveable and made of aluminum while others are heavy-duty and made of reinforced steel to provide maximum protection.
It is important to know that shoring boxes are rated for a certain amount of pressure on the side walls. Using a shoring box not rated for the conditions can cause the shoring equipment to fail.