How far back should the dirt pile be from a trench in Fredericton?

WorkSafeNB's General Regulation 91-191 sets the rule: excavated material must be kept at least 1.2 metres from the edge of the trench. That applies on any job site in Fredericton where an employer is doing the work.

The 1.2 metre setback is a minimum. If the trench is 1.2 metres deep or more and workers need to enter it, WorkSafeNB rules also require the walls to be shored, sloped or benched, or cut in solid rock, and any shoring must be engineer-certified. Section 183 adds a further rule for rock excavations deeper than 1.8 metres.

Stay back from the edge yourself. WorkSafeNB rules are written for employers and their workers, but the trench edge is not a safe place for anyone to stand, regardless of depth.

On a Fredericton job there are a few other things worth having in order before the machine starts. Info-Excavation, reached through Click Before You Dig, needs at least three working days notice; the locate is valid until the end date written on the request. NB Power runs its own separate underground locate service and asks for at least five business days notice; that locate is valid for 60 days from the date on the form and covers only NB Power-owned lines. Private lines, such as wiring run to a garage or shed, are the property owner's to find and mark. If the trench is within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, a Watercourse and Wetland Alteration permit from the province is required before any ground disturbance. If the work involves a new building or addition, Regulation 2021-2 under the Building Code Administration Act requires a footing and foundation inspection through the City of Fredericton's building department before any backfilling begins.

Ask the contractor for a WorkSafeNB clearance certificate before work starts, confirm the locate records are in hand, and under the Construction Remedies Act hold back 10 percent of the contract price for 60 days after substantial performance.

When the job is done, keep the locate records, any permit and inspection sign-off, and the written quote and invoice together in one place, because you may need them if a question comes up about the work years later.