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Construction Safety Equipment: Shoring Shields
When you are digging up the ground to create a trench, accidents might happen such as flooding or collapsing of the trench walls, most especially when the soil conditions are poor. This poses a hazard to your building project and may cost the lives of your workers. For this very reason, safety equipment must be set up for protection as strongly advised by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); one of which includes the installation of trench shoring shields.
Shoring is a standard construction procedure of firmly securing the trench walls to prevent collapse. There are many methods that can be utilized to secure the trench: the hydraulic shoring, beam and plate, and the soldier boarding. In hydraulic shoring, pistons are propped outward until they press against the trench walls thereby securing them in place. Furthermore, the pistons can be combined with a steel plate or heavy plywood for a much better support. On the other hand, the beam and plate involves the use of steel I-beams that are driven into the ground and steel plates are slid in among them. In soldier boarding, wood planks are used to stabilize the trench walls.
Just to have a clear definition, shoring is a process that involves the stabilization of the trench wall to prevent collapse; whilst shielding is designed to protect the workers from accidents, particularly cave-ins.
By and large, shoring shields are made of steel or timber with high tensile strength that can withstand extreme pressures from the surrounding ground despite of the soil condition. They may come in with corrugated or smooth finishes as well. Examples of steel shields include the aluminum waler system which is used for close or intermittent timber runners or trench sheeting. Vertical shoring shields can also be installed by workers while the excavation continues. Also, the modular aluminum panel system consists of steel boxes that are constructed big enough for workers to pass through, even a vehicle can pass through, and so they could continue their work. It is suitable for utility maintenance, plumbing installation and repairs, gas, sewers, and installations of water, light, and communication lines. In addition, such shoring shields have specifications on their respective workload limits. Therefore, it is imperative that engineers and construction workers know about these details before using the equipment for shoring trenches.
Other trench shields include timber shores which are used for pipe laying maintenance and excavations that can be made without the use of heavy equipment; shore trench box which is used to support excavations at any depth; trench sheeting which uses a corrugated sheet to secure the trench walls in place; and arch spreaders which are employed for laying of large diameter pipes, box culverts, boring pits, twin pipes, and others.
In a few words, shoring shields are installed to ensure that the workers are safe while they are working inside the trench. This special construction equipment prevents disastrous cave-ins that may occur especially when the soil condition is unstable or wet. Most of the shields are made of highly durable steel or timber and may come in smooth or corrugated finishes. Engineers must keep in mind that shoring shields also have specifications on their workload limits, some have details for the allowable depth of the trench.
Additionally, they must also remember that before a construction begins, a thorough soil analysis must be conducted first to help them determine which type of shoring shield is suitable for the site – one that can offer the best protection for the workers. Visit Shorehire for more.
