New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 12 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR › Chapter I - Industrial Board Of Appeals › Subchapter A - The Industrial Code › Part 23 - Protection In Construction, Demolition And Excavation Operations › Subpart 23-4 - Excavation Operations › Section 23-4.4 - Sheeting, shoring and bracing

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a) Where any
					 excavation is not protected by sloped sides or banks in compliance with Table I
					 of this Subpart, any person in such excavation shall be protected by sheeting,
					 shoring and bracing in compliance with Tables II, III and IV of this Subpart.
					 Sizes of materials listed in the tables are nominal or trade dimensions.
TABLE II
MAXIMUM HORIZONTAL DISTANCE BETWEEN EDGES OF
						SHEETING
Excavation
									 Depth
Type of Soil
5 to 10 ft.
Over 10 to 15
								  ft.
Over 15 to 20
								  ft.
Stiff cohesive soil
Tight
Tight
Tight
Noncohesive soil
2 feet
Tight
Tight
Soft cohesive or wet flowing soil
Tight
Tight
Tight
(b) Shores, struts and braces, whether
					 horizontal or inclined, shall be of adequate size to provide stiffness and
					 adequately braced to withstand the loads intended to be imposed thereon. The
					 ends of all braces shall be individually anchored and fastened to fully resist
					 all imposed forces and to prevent such braces from shifting or slipping. The
					 placing of any inclined shores, struts or braces at any angle exceeding 30
					 degrees from the horizontal is prohibited.
(c) Each earth-supported shore, strut or
					 brace shall bear against a footing of sufficient area and stability to prevent
					 any subsidence, yield or shifting of such shore, strut or brace.
TABLE III
MINIMUM SIZES OF STRINGERS AND BRACES
Narrow Trenches-Horizontal Cross-Braces Not Longer
						Than Four Feet
Trench
									 Depth
Type of
									 Soil
Vertical Spacing
									 of Stringers
Horizontal Spacing
									 of Cross-Braces
4 Feet
6 Feet
Stringers
Braces
Stringers
Braces
Stringers
Braces
Stringers
Braces
5 to 10 ft.
Stiff cohesive
4 ft. max.
4 * 4
4 * 4
6 * 6 or 4 *8
4 * 4
6 * 6
4 * 4
8 * 8
4 * 6
Noncohesive
4 ft. max.
6 * 6 or 4 *8
4 * 4
6 * 6
4 * 4
6 * 8
4 * 4
8 * 10
6 * 6
Soft cohesive and wet flowing
4 ft. max.
6 * 6
4 * 4
6 * 10
4 * 6
8 * 10
6 * 6
10 * 12
6 * 8
Over 10 to 20 ft.
Stiff cohesive and noncohesive
4 ft. max.
4 * 6
4 * 4
6 * 6
4 * 4
8 * 8 or 6 *10
4 * 6
10 * 10
6 * 6
Soft cohesive and wet flowing
4 ft. max.
6 * 8
6 * 6
8 * 10
6 * 8
10 * 12
8 * 8
*
*
Over 20 ft.
For any trench over 20 feet in depth
								  the sheeting, shoring and bracing systems shall be designed by a professional
								  engineer licensed to practice in the State of New York. A copy of the plans and
								  specifications for any such bracing system shall be kept at the job site
								  available for examination by the commissioner.
* Sizes of timber for such conditions become excessive. A
						special structure designed by a professional engineer licensed to practice in
						the State of New York shall be constructed and used for the specific condition
						involved.
Note:
Timber sizes are nominal or trade
						dimensions.
(d) Each end of
					 each stringer shall be individually braced. Where stringers are terminated to
					 form individual panel type sheeting, each such panel shall be braced at either
					 end.
(e) In lieu of sheeting and
					 shoring and where conditions permit, a self-supporting movable shield of timber
					 or metal may be used and moved ahead as the excavation and construction
					 progresses. The supporting capacity of such a shield shall be equal in all
					 respects to the sheeting and shoring set forth in Tables II, III and IV of this
					 Subpart. When any person is located in such excavation at any point not
					 protected by such shield, sheeting and shoring as set forth in Tables II, III
					 and IV of this Subpart shall be provided.
(f) In lieu of wood, screw jacks of adequate
					 size and stability may be used as cross bracing in the sheeting and shoring of
					 any excavation. Any type of cross bracing used shall be in a true horizontal
					 position, shall be securely fastened and shall be prevented from shifting or
					 slipping by adequately fastened scabs or blocks.
(g) When the depth of an excavation requires
					 the use of two vertical lengths of sheeting, one above the other, the lower
					 sheeting shall be set inside the bottom stringers of the upper sheeting and
					 shall be driven down and braced as the excavation continues.
(h) Excavations which are generally parallel
					 to existing underground pipe lines, utilities or structures of any kind shall
					 be tightly sheeted and shored alongside such pipe lines, utilities or
					 structures where they are exposed by such excavations.
(i) Timber sheeting shall consist of
					 structurally sound hardwood at least two inches by six inches in size or of
					 lumber of equivalent strength. The actual thickness of such timber sheeting
					 shall be consistent with the size of the supporting timbers and the depth of
					 the excavation.
Footnotes
* Sizes of timber for such conditions become excessive. A
						special structure designed by a professional engineer licensed to practice in
						the State of New York shall be constructed and used for the specific condition
						involved.