Job Hazard Analysis · Plumbing

Job Hazard Analysis: Sewer line repair

Excavate to expose a broken or root-damaged building sewer lateral (typically 4-in or 6-in clay, cast iron, or PVC) in a yard, driveway, or street. Cut out the damaged section, install new PVC pipe with shielded couplings, test, backfill, and restore the surface. Work uses a mini excavator, concrete saw when paving must be cut, and a trench box or shoring when the trench is 5 ft or deeper. Expect raw sewage, possible sewer gas, buried utilities, and outdoor weather.

Published 2026-10-23

A general example for this task. Your JHA should reflect your crew, equipment and site — review it with a competent person before work starts.

Steps, hazards and controls

Step	Hazard	Risk	Controls
1. Call 811, mark utilities, and set up the work zone	Striking a buried gas, electric, or water line while digging	High	Confirm the 811 ticket is active and all utilities have marked before any digging. Walk the site and look for meters, cleanouts, and private lines the 811 locate will not mark. Hand dig or pothole within the tolerance zone of every marked line.
1. Call 811, mark utilities, and set up the work zone	Traffic, pedestrians, or homeowners walking into the work area	Medium	Set cones, barricades, and caution tape around the dig area and spoil pile. Use a flagger and traffic signs if the work is in or next to the street. Wear a high-visibility vest near traffic.
2. Saw-cut paving and excavate with the mini excavator	Silica dust from cutting concrete or asphalt with the concrete saw	Medium	Use a saw with a water feed and keep water flowing the whole cut. Keep other workers upwind and away from the cutting area. Wear a respirator if required by the silica exposure plan, plus safety glasses and hearing protection.
	Being struck or pinned by the excavator bucket, boom, or swinging house	High	Keep everyone outside the swing radius while the machine runs; mark it with cones. Use one assigned spotter with agreed hand signals; the operator stops if the spotter is out of sight. Only trained operators run the excavator; wear seatbelt and check backup alarm.
	Loud noise from the saw and excavator	Low	Wear earplugs or earmuffs while the saw or machine is running nearby.
3. Protect the trench and set up safe access	Trench cave-in burying a worker	High	Install a trench box, shoring, or slope the walls before anyone enters a trench 5 ft or deeper. The competent person inspects the trench before each shift and after rain or any change, and gives the OK to enter. Keep spoil piles, pipe, and tools at least 2 ft back from the edge; keep the excavator back from the edge. Never enter the trench outside the protective system or while the bucket is digging.
	Falls while climbing in or out of the trench	Medium	Place a ladder within 25 ft of every worker in trenches 4 ft or deeper, extending 3 ft above the edge. Put barricades or cover the open trench when no one is working.
	Sewer gas (hydrogen sulfide) or low oxygen collecting in the trench	Medium	Test the air with a 4-gas monitor before entry in trenches over 4 ft and keep it running in the trench. If the alarm sounds, get out right away and ventilate with a blower before re-entry.
4. Stop flow and cut out the damaged pipe	Contact with raw sewage (bacteria, hepatitis A)	Medium	Have the owner stop using water and drains; plug the line upstream or pump down before cutting. Do not eat, drink, or smoke until you wash hands and face with soap and water. Wear nitrile gloves under cut-resistant gloves, rubber boots, and a face shield when cutting a full line.
	Cuts and flying chips from the reciprocating saw, snap cutter, or abrasive saw	Medium	Use a soil-pipe snap cutter for cast iron instead of an abrasive saw when possible. Check guards and blades before use; use GFCI-protected cords or battery tools in the wet trench. Wear safety glasses and a face shield while cutting.
	Back strain from bending and lifting heavy cast iron in the trench	Medium	Use the excavator with a rated sling or two people to lift pipe sections over 50 lb. Lift with your legs and keep the load close to your body.
5. Install new PVC pipe and couplings, then test	PVC primer and cement vapors and flammability	Low	Use shielded no-hub couplings where possible to reduce glued joints. Read the SDS, keep lids closed, and keep cans away from flames, saws, and smoking. Wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses when applying primer and cement.
5. Install new PVC pipe and couplings, then test	Hand pinch points while setting pipe and tightening coupling clamps	Low	Keep fingers out from between pipe ends; use a torque wrench, not your hands, to seat clamps. Wear work gloves.
6. Backfill, compact, and restore the surface	Worker in the trench while backfill is pushed in	High	Do a headcount and confirm the trench is clear before the operator pushes in backfill. Pull the trench box only as backfill reaches safe depth; no one enters unprotected sections.
6. Backfill, compact, and restore the surface	Vibration, noise, and foot injuries from the plate or jumping-jack compactor	Medium	Rotate operators to limit time on the compactor. Do not run gas compactors in a deep trench without air monitoring; carbon monoxide builds up. Wear steel-toe boots and hearing protection.
7. Clean up and decontaminate	Spreading sewage contamination to tools, trucks, and home	Medium	Wash tools, boots, and gloves with disinfectant at a set wash area before loading the truck. Bag contaminated rags and old pipe; dispose of them as directed by the supervisor. Wash hands and face before eating or leaving the site.
7. Clean up and decontaminate	Trips over tools, hoses, and debris	Low	Pick up hoses, cords, and debris as you go; keep walkways clear.

Required PPE

Hard hat — At all times in and around the excavation and equipment.
Safety glasses — ANSI Z87.1 at all times; add a face shield when cutting pipe or paving.
Gloves — Nitrile under cut-resistant work gloves when handling sewer pipe or sewage.
Rubber boots or steel-toe boots — Waterproof steel-toe boots in the trench and around sewage.
High-visibility vest — When working near traffic or moving equipment.
Hearing protection — Earplugs or earmuffs when using the concrete saw, compactor, or near the excavator.
Respirator — When required by the silica plan for saw cutting; fit-tested workers only.

Training

Competent person for excavations designated and on site to inspect the trench and protective system.
Trench and excavation safety training for all crew who enter the trench.
Mini excavator operator training and evaluation; spotters trained in hand signals.
Silica training and respirator fit test for workers who cut concrete or asphalt.
Hazard communication training on PVC primer and cement and sewage hazards; gas monitor use.
First aid and CPR for at least one crew member; tetanus and hepatitis A vaccines recommended.

Emergency

If a trench caves in: stop all work and shut down the excavator. Call 911 and give the exact site address. Do not jump into the trench to dig; more soil can fall. Keep everyone and equipment back from the edge until rescue arrives. Give first aid only if it can be done safely from outside the trench.

Official sources

29 CFR 1926.651 — Excavations — specific requirements
29 CFR 1926.652 — Requirements for protective systems
29 CFR 1926.602 — Material handling equipment
29 CFR 1926.1153 — Respirable crystalline silica
29 CFR 1926.59 — Hazard communication
29 CFR 1926.28 — Personal protective equipment
29 CFR 1926.21 — Safety training and education
29 CFR 1926.50 — Medical services and first aid

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General information, not legal advice. Templates and examples should be reviewed by a competent person before use. HardHat Binder is not affiliated with or endorsed by OSHA.