Excavation and trenching - Hawaii

Hawaii operates an OSHA-approved State Plan (HIOSH) covering most private sector workers and all state and local government workers. HIOSH does not apply to federal government employers. While HIOSH has adopted most federal OSHA standards, significant differences exist, and some standards do not have any federal counterparts.

Subsurface installations

Hawaii’s “One Call Center” is a private provider in Hawaii that provides advance warning to excavators of the location of subsurface installations in the area of an excavation for the purpose of protecting those installations from damage. The rules are contained in Hawaii’s statutes at HRS §§ 269E-2 – 269E-12 and in its Administrative Rules at HAR 6-83.

Design, construction, and maintenance of public streets and highways

Except in cases of extreme emergency:

• When it becomes necessary to excavate along or across an existing highway, street or road, the excavation work should be performed during off-peak traffic hours as determined by the traffic engineer of the state or county agency having jurisdiction.
• All excavation work during peak hours must cease, and the excavation must be spanned with safe non-skid bridging material securely anchored so that the full width of the traveled way will be available to vehicular traffic.

These rules do not apply when a highway, street, or road has been closed to vehicular traffic and designated a construction area.

Excavation and backfilling on state highways

Specifications, standards and procedures to be followed in the excavation and backfilling of trenches or other openings in state highways are prescribed by the director of transportation. At the request of an applicant for a permit, a copy of such specifications, standards and procedures must be furnished.

The permit holder, at the permit holder’s own expense and upon completion of the work for which the permit was issued, must backfill all trenches or other openings and make all necessary repairs to or replacement of any concrete gutter, curb, sidewalk, or any other structure in public use and restore or replace any plants, landscaping, signs, markers, or other facilities or improvements that were cut or damaged by the permit holder to a condition similar to that which existed before work was begun under the permit.

Special provisions for developing highway project specifications

Hawaii’s Department of Transportation Highways division contains the latest revisions to the Special Provision For 2005 Standard Specifications used in developing highway project specifications. These specifications include sections covering:

• Section 203 – Roadway Excavation and Embankment
• Section 204 – Excavation and Backfill for Miscellaneous Facilities
• Section 206 – Excavation and Backfill for Drainage Facilities
• Section 207 – Ditch and Channel Excavation