Construction services in Loveland, CO from Stormheart Construction? Excavation safety is a combination of safety precautions and mitigations in and around excavations and trenches to eliminate or control hazards in compliance with industry standards and regulations. Why is Excavation and Trench Safety Important? Excavation and trenching are amongst the most dangerous operations in the construction industry. Dangers can include cave-ins, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres and hazards from using heavy equipment. Regular pre-work inspections can reduce hazards and serious risk of injury. Safety inspections should check for the type of excavation being conducted, support and warning systems in place, access areas, weather conditions, heavy equipment and PPE.
If you’re buying an old building, check whether it’s listed, as this will severely limit the changes you can make, plus as a new owner you’re legally liable for rectifying any past illegal works, often at huge expense. Generally, unless you have a bottomless budget, avoid: properties built to a substandard quality, such as some cheaper Victorian terraces built without firebreak party walls in lofts and with worryingly thin single brick rear additions (which cause problems with mortgage lenders), those that have suffered botched alterations such as chimney breasts and internal walls illegally removed without Building Regulations’ consent.
Workers and work equipment can fall into an excavated area. When possible, install a barrier and safety signage around the perimeter of the excavation to clearly mark the fall hazard. Falling loads, such as jobsite equipment or excavated dirt, can also fall into a trenched area and crush anybody who is working below. This is why OSHA requires jobsite materials to be stored at least two feet away from the edge of an excavation. Additionally, OSHA recommends that employers do not allow work to be conducted beneath suspended or raised loads. Read even more information on Excavation services Fort Collins.
Why you should split blocks for a rough finish. If the end of a block will be visible, and you’d like it to match the other rough surfaces, use a block splitter. You can probably rent a splitter like this for less than $100 per day. Use a gas-powered cutoff saw like this one for a smooth cut. This saw can cut with or without water. Water eliminates the dust but creates a messy slurry that can permanently stain surfaces like driveways and sidewalks. You can rent a saw like this for about $80 per day. If you don’t use water, make sure the dust doesn’t blow into the house or on a neighbor’s house.After your drainpipe is in place, you should backfill the rest of the space behind the blocks with either sand or pea gravel—either will allow water to filter through to the drainpipe at the base of the wall. For the best results, backfill with a few inches of the material after laying each course of blocks, and use a hand tamper to compact the material. By tamping the backfill every six inches or so, you’ll ensure that it is packed tightly, which will provide additional support from the pressure of the soil behind the wall.
By using NFC you are basically increasing the depth of your retaining wall. Most masonry blocks would be an average depth of 200-250mm, by using NFC you are increasing that depth of your solid masonry block from 200mm up to 500mm (Infill depth) or more depending on the height of your wall. It is always recommended that every third or fourth block should have part of the back edge removed. This would give a far better adhesion tying the NFC infill layer and the NFC core filled blocks creating a far stronger structure. See extra information on https://stormheart.net/.