Every employer and contractor wants to make sure that the employees then sent out on a worksite are safe and well protected. Likewise, the companies that are charged with some of the most difficult bridge and road construction tasks want to make sure that they have everything needed in place to facilitate the efficient completion of projects both large and small. For many, safe and efficient construction work is facilitated by excavation shoring designs through the use of trench box shields, temporary road mats, and other excavation support methods.
A June 3, 2017, New York Times article attempts to explain the new Presidential administration’s plan for rebuilding the failing infrastructure of the nation, and serves as an indication that the companies that sell and rent excavation shoring designs for projects of all sizes could be very busy in the upcoming years.
The simple fact that as many as one in nine of the nation?s bridges are rated as structurally deficient is an indicator that the need for these projects is becoming increasingly important. In fact, while the average age of the nation?s 607,380 bridges is currently 42 years an entire industry is looking forward to any plan that could speed up the process of addressing structural problems for not only bridges, but also walking footpaths, highways, and interstates. For while the discussions about funding can be a matter of debate, few argue about making sure the needed safety precautions are in place before any such construction can take place.
Many construction projects, especially those that are the biggest, require weeks, if not months of preparation. The need for approved methods of shoring and other protective methods is both apparent and required. Basically, there are three standard types of shoring procedures, determined by supporting characteristics or position in space
- Dead or vertical shores.
- Flying or horizontal shores.
- Raking or inclined shores.
There are 600,000 bridges in the U.S, and an increasing number of these structures are in need of repair or replacement. The fact that the new Presidential administration is expected to roll out its plan for prompting economic development by encouraging cities, states, and private industry to help cover the costs of this needed work is an indicator that industries that provide shoring protections will continue to be in great need.