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Boring Auger Safety Preparation Checklist

When using augers for boring, there are certain steps that must be taken prior to drilling to ensure safety compliance at your site. By following this boring auger safety preparation checklist you ensure hazards are removed, allowing your project to finish on-time and to budget. The checklist assumes all relevant permits and approvals have been granted, that operators are familiar with operation manuals and understand all relevant safety decals located on the machine.

1. Determine what space is available on-site. The contractor must have enough space to move machinery and equipment around safely as well as for staging and spoil disposal. Space for receiving materials, machinery, secure storage and spoil disposal and storage space must be planned for before an operation begins.
2. The depth and side slope of the bore pit must be determined. Must bore pits will require proper wall shoring to ensure trench collapse does not occur and injure workers.
3. The backstop and base of the auger must be prepared. Low-thrust bores may use steel sheeting, steel plate or wooden timbers as a backstop. Large diameter bores require the use of a concrete as a backstop.
4. A sump pump for water extraction must be placed in the rear corner of the pit, according to the location of the slope.
5. Most auger bores require an exit pit at the end of the bore. During the boring process, no workers may enter the exit pit unless the location of the auger is known. If the auger enters the exit pit with workers present, extreme injury and fatality can occur.
6. Appropriate chains and slings must be used during setup. Auger setup frequently requires use of a crane to install the equipment. It’s best practice to separate machines into their components before setup. This lightens the load which requires lifting. When the auger is loaded into the casing it must have a cross member welded in the casing to prevent sliding during loading.
7. Free boring is discouraged. This is because during free boring the chance of the auger machine catching and flipping over is greatly increased.
8. The use of drilling fluid is recommended. Lubricant pumped to the outside of the auger casing reduces friction between the machine and the soil and reduces thrust loads. There are several varieties of drilling fluid available to enhance your boring auger operation.
9. Emergency stop switches must be located near the operator. They should also be located around the front, back and on both sides of the machine.
10. Operator presence lanyards must be used. These ensure the machine does not continue to operate without an operator present.
11. Light and sound warnings should indicate the auger is about the move. These should function alongside winch or rack drive systems.
12. Fire extinguishers must be located on the boring machine.
13. The spoil removal safety door must be in working order. Spoil removal safety doors protect workers against dangerous moving parts as well as flying objects exiting the spoil chute.
14. Tilt sensors must be in working order. Tilt sensors will shut down the machine if a degree of tilt exceeds a certain degree.

If all the items on this boring auger safety checklist have been checked off, then is it safe to start your drilling operation.

Contact Tebco

If you are looking for a boring auger to use in your construction, mining, civil or infrastructure project, just call Tebco today to place an order. We have a vast selection of boring augers available for sale. Check out our online store, call us on (02) 4677 2649 or reach out via our contact page to ask any questions about boring auger safety preparation or to make an order for our products today.