Often times, it is the work and preparation that goes on behind the scenes that had the biggest impact on the safety and the success of a work site. For instance, the heavy duty shoring that is used in a mine site helps keep miners protected when they work in otherwise unstable conditions. From the smallest trench box shields to the largest and most extensive heavy duty shoring structures, the safety of the workers and the success of a project are dependent upon the careful planning and preparation of preconstruction crews.
From bridge projects to road construction work, trench boxes to heavy duty shoring systems keep unstable and unpredictable work environments safe and reliable. Consider some of these statistics about the work that needs to be done to keep America’s bridges and roadways safe and the work that goes on behind the scenes of many major construction projects across the country:
- 600,000 bridges support the travel needs in the U.S. Unfortunately, a number of these bridges are in need of major repairs or complete replacement.
- Timber and aluminum hydraulic are the two most basic kinds of shoring used in projects in America.
- 200 million trips are taken every day across deficient bridges in the country’s 102 largest metropolitan regions.
- 11% of the nation?s bridges are rated as structurally deficient. This is partially attributed to the fact that the average age of the America’s 607,380 bridges is currently 42 years.
- 80% of drivers said they preferred if road maintenance was performed during off-peak hours, according to a recent survey conducted by the Asphalt Pavement Alliance. This is one of the reasons most road building contractors work at night.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires safe access and egress to all excavations. This includes ladders, ramps, steps, or other safe means of exit for employees working in trench excavations that are 4 feet (1.22 meters) or deeper. According to these same OSHA regulations, these access and egress devices must be located within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of all workers.
The next time that you drive by a road or bridge construction project, a closer look will likely help you notice the trench boxes and shoring devices providing the safety that allows the work to be completed.