1926.652(e) Installation and Removal of Support

Members of support systems shall be securely connected together to prevent sliding, falling, kickouts, or other predictable failure.

Individual members of support systems shall not be subjected to loads exceeding those which those members were designed to withstand.

Before temporary removal of individual members begins, additional precautions shall be taken to ensure the safety of employees, such as installing other structural members to carry the loads imposed on the support system.

Removal shall begin at, and progress from, the bottom of the excavation. Members shall be released slowly so as to note any indication of possible failure of the remaining members of the structure or possible cave-in of the sides of the excavation.

Backfilling shall progress together with the removal of support systems from excavations.

Support systems shall be installed and removed in a manner that protects employees from cave-ins, structural collapses, or from being struck by members of the support system.

Excavation of material to a level no greater than 2 feet (.61 m) below the bottom of the members of a support system shall be permitted, but only if the system is designed to resist the forces calculated for the full depth of the trench, and there are no indications while the trench is open of a possible loss of soil from behind or below the bottom of the support system.

Installation of a support system shall be closely coordinated with the excavation of trenches.