What will we do today to prevent an incident?
Piles are slender, cylindrical units made of wood, steel, and/or concrete that are used to support foundations or secure
excavations. Pile driving is when piles are driven into or removed from the ground. Piles are usually driven into position by a crane with a mounted pile hammer. There are two types of pile driving: deep foundation and shallow foundation.
What’s the hazard?
Pile driving and related tasks, including surveying and locating underground utilities, and cutting and levelling piles, can present a variety of hazards. Pile driving is a high-risk task and procedures must be implemented to keep workers and the public safe.
Hazards to consider may include:
electrical hazards, including working near overhead power lines and the use of cords
poor soil condition
noise and vibration
piles falling
flooding/water hazards
lifting and rigging
excavation collapse
uneven terrain that could lead to slips, trips and falls
hazardous atmospheres
pinch points
hazardous material and dusts.
What can happen?
Ed, the equipment operator, and Joe, the ground crew leader, arrive at the job site at 7:00 a.m. and want to drive the first pile of the day. Ed and Joe start to lift the first pile into position. When the pile reaches approximately 60 degrees vertical, the cable holding the beam slips. This causes the pile to flip and hit the base of the crane.
Based on the scenario above, here are some questions that could be used to spark discussion:
- How could this incident been prevented?
- What control measures could be implemented to prevent future reoccurences?
What precautions can be taken to prevent incidents related to pile driving?
Employers must develop safe work procedures, train their workers on those procedures, and ensure workers comply with those procedures. The following should be considered when developing safe work procedures:
Only a trained operator is allowed to operate pile driving equipment.
No worker remains or rides on a load or part of a load being moved by pile driving equipment.
No worker should be on the superstructure of pile driving equipment, or within range of the pile in case it falls.
Barriers and warning signs must be placed around pile driving equipment.
Pre-operation and post-operation checklists must be conducted.
Pile driving equipment, including the pile driver, crane and pile hammer, must be periodically inspected and maintained.
Pile driving equipment must be secured when not in operation.
Other resources:
An additional resource related to pile driving is SAFE Work Manitoba’s
Guide for Excavation Work.
Share your ideas! If you have an idea for Shop Talk that you think others would benefit from, we’d like to hear about it. Email us: information@safeworkmanitoba.ca.
For more information: 204-957-SAFE (7233) or toll-free 1-855-957-SAFE (7233).
