Excavation and trenching - Alaska

Alaska operates an OSHA-approved State Plan covering most private sector workers and all state and local government workers. The Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Division (AKOSH) is part of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Alaska statutes and regulations contain some additional excavation requirements beyond the federal requirements. They include the following:

Conduct of excavations near underground facilities

An excavator must use reasonable care to avoid damaging an underground facility. The excavator must:

• Determine, without damage to the facility, the precise location of an underground facility whose location has been marked;
• Plan the excavation to avoid damage to and minimize interference with an underground facility in or near the excavation area; and
• To the extent necessary to protect a facility from damage, provide support for an underground facility in and near the construction area during the excavation.

Contact or damage. An excavator who contacts or damages an underground facility must notify the operator of the underground facility. If the damage causes an emergency, the excavator must alert appropriate local public safety agencies and take reasonable steps to ensure public safety. A damaged underground facility may not be reburied until it is repaired or relocated to the satisfaction of the operator. The operator of an underground facility that was damaged during excavation must arrange for repair or relocation of the facility as soon as practical.