Creative Traffic Deck Allows Excavation to Remain Open While Leaving Traffic Uninterrupted Coble Trench Safety shoring specialist John Knighten plays a key role in assisting contractor with shoring design. The Specifics The contractor was working on a smaller project that is part of a massive steam overhaul for a national university and hospital.  The steam will eventually feed expansions to the hospital once the project is complete.  The excavation would be approximately 16 feet by 12 feet by 12 feet deep.  The project was adjacent to a pedestrian walk and a fire lane that would need to remain accessible throughout the project.  If you're facing a particularly challenging trench job, give Coble Trench Safety a call to learn how we can help you get it right the first time. Atlanta, GA 1.877.312.1776 Baltimore, MD 1.866.951.0809 Birmingham, AL 1.877.312.1782 Charleston, SC 1.866.957.3624 Charlotte 1.877.587.3624 D.C. / Northern VA 1.866.887.3624 Greensboro (Corporate) 1.866.587.3624 Greenville, SC 1.877.312.1780 Jacksonville, FL 1.877.312.1783 Knoxville, TN 1.877.312.1781 Myrtle Beach, SC 1.866.586.9404 Norfolk, VA 1.866.975.3490 Raleigh 1.888.587.3624 Richmond, VA 1.866.887.3630 Click links in red above for more detailed information. CTS also offers Competent Person for Trench & Excavation training, as well as Confined Space Entry training. To see available dates and sign-up CLICK HERE The Scenario The project would have to be dug in one day and a structure built so that traffic could return to normal the next day, so that the fire lane remained fully operational as did deliveries to the hospital.  In addition to the rigid time demands of the project, the working area would be very tight with very little working room and even less area for staging equipment.  The Solution The contractor and Jarrette Strickland  discussed the project while it was bidding and began to explore ways to address the need to shore the excavation as well as how to best return traffic flow in one day while leaving the excavation accessible.  After a few conversations, a solution was finally reached.  Steel trench shields would form the shoring basis for the project and had to be dug in the during that 1 day window.  The shields would be stacked to provide the necessary 12 feet of depth and then a traffic deck would have to be assembled to allow traffic flow to return to normal.  The design for the traffic deck was to rely upon steel beam that would stretch the excavation and extend on each side of the excavation for stability.  Once the beam was set, steel road crossing plate would then be welded to the beam to provide a sturdy and secured traffic deck that would allow the roadway to be functional, while also allowing the excavation to remain open below the traffic deck.  The excavation would then be accessible from the ends which were not covered by the traffic deck.  The system was well-designed and helped provide the appropriate combination of worker safety as well as the needs of the project's owner.  The system functioned very well and the project was completed without incident and interruption other than the 1 day installation and 1 day removal for the system.