Excavation and trenching - Arkansas

Arkansas is under federal OSHA jurisdiction which covers most private sector workers within the state. State and local government workers are not covered by federal OSHA.

Underground facilities

The Arkansas Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Act sets out the rules for a One-Call Center to be established and maintained by all owners and operators of underground facilities. The One-Call Center is a place where excavators can give notice of intent to excavate so that operators can be notified and thereby locate and mark their underground facilities to avoid damage, interruption of service to consumers, or injury to excavation workers. The rules are contained in A.C.A. §§ 14-271-101 – 14-271-115.

Public improvements and trench and excavation safety systems

Whenever any agency of Arkansas or of any county, municipality, or school district, or other local taxing unit or improvement district, enters into a construction contract for the making of repairs or alterations or the erection of buildings or for the making of any other improvements, or for the construction or improvement of highways, roads, streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, drainage or sewer projects, or for any other construction project in which the project involves any trench or excavation which equals or exceeds five feet in depth, the government entity must require that the current edition of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standard for Excavation and Trenches Safety System, 29 C.F.R. Part 1926, Subpart P, be specifically incorporated into the specifications for the project.