Excavation and trenching - Virginia

Virginia operates an OSHA-approved State Plan covering all private sector workers and all state and local government workers. The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program is part of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) which is headed by the Commissioner.

Underground utilities

The Virginia Underground Utility Damage and Prevention Act (Va. Code Ann. §§ 56-265.14 through 56-265.32) requires excavators to provide notice to a notification center of their intention to excavate so that the center can notify the operator of an underground utility in the area of the proposed excavation; and the utility operator can then locate and mark its underground utilities to prevent damage, service interruption, and excavation worker injury. The administrative rules for the enforcement of the Act are found at 20 VAC 5-309-10 through 309-215.

Adjacent to excavations

Every excavation on a site located five feet or less from the street lot line must be enclosed with a barrier not less than six feet high. Where located more than five feet from the street lot line, a barrier must be erected when required by the code official. Barriers must be of adequate strength to resist wind pressure as specified in Chapter 16 of the International Building Code.

Protection of adjoining properties

Adjoining public and private property must be protected from damage during construction and demolition work. Protection must be provided for footings, foundations, party walls, chimneys, skylights, and roofs. Provisions must be made to control water runoff and erosion. The person making or causing an excavation must provide written notice to the owners of adjoining buildings advising them that the excavation is to be done and that the adjoining buildings should be protected. This notification must be delivered not less than 10 days prior to the scheduled starting date of the excavation.

Duty to fill well or pit before abandonment

Any person who has caused to be dug on his own land or the land of another any well or pit, must fill the well or pit with earth so that it is not be dangerous to human beings, animals or fowls before such well or such pit is abandoned; and any person owning land whereon any well or pit is located must fill with earth any such well or pit which has been abandoned, provided the person has knowledge of the existence of such well or pit.

In the case of mining operations, in lieu of filling the shaft or pit the owner or operator on ceasing operations in the shaft or pit must securely fence the shaft or pit and keep it securely fenced thereafter.

Septic tank placement

A precast septic tank must be bedded with at least six inches of sand or fine gravel where rock or other undesirable conditions are encountered. The tank must be placed level. Where excavation is required, the hole must be sufficiently large to permit placement of the tank. Backfilling the excavation for all septic tanks must be done in layers with sufficient tamping to avoid settling. Backfill material must be free of large stones and debris.

Prohibited operations in excavations

The following occupations in excavation operations are prohibited:

• Excavating, working in, or backfilling (refilling) trenches, except:
  • Manually excavating or manually backfilling trenches that do not exceed four feet in depth at any point, or
  • Working in trenches that do not exceed four feet in depth at any point.
• Excavating for buildings or other structures or working in such excavations, except:
  • Manually excavating to a depth not exceeding four feet below any ground surface adjoining the excavation, or
  • Working in an excavation not exceeding such depth, or
  • Working in an excavation where the side walls are shored or sloped to the angle of repose.
• Working within tunnels prior to the completion of all driving and shoring operations.
• Working within shafts prior to the completion of all sinking and shoring operations.