Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 12.40 Guarding Excavations

Any person owning or in charge of any lot or parcel of land in the City of Richmond, the grade or surface of which lot or parcel of land is two feet or more lower in elevation than the sidewalk or sidewalks immediately adjoining such lot or parcel of land, shall provide, erect and maintain guard rails on such sidewalk or sidewalks, which guard rails shall be constructed in such manner and of such materials as the superintendent of streets of the City may direct; provided, that such guard rails shall not be required where the slope from the inner sidewalk line to the grade or surface of such lot or parcel of land is less than forty-five degrees; nor shall any person owning or in charge of any lot or parcel of land maintain thereon any excavation two feet or more in depth below the sidewalk level, within two feet of any sidewalk in the City of Richmond, without erecting and maintaining at the inner sidewalk line around such excavation suitable guard rails, which guard rails shall be constructed in such manner and of such materials as the superintendent of streets of the City may direct.

(Source: Ordinance No. 349)

It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession, charge or control of any lot or parcel of land in the City of Richmond to permit any excavation more than two feet in depth now existing upon any such lot or parcel of land to remain open for a period of more than three months after the making of such excavation. For the purposes of this chapter any excavation shall be deemed to be open that is not compactly filled with earth, rock or gravel, or that is not substantially and securely covered; provided, that upon proper application in writing therefor, the council of the City may extend the time within which such excavation shall be filled or covered, which extension shall be for a period of not more than three months.

The provisions of Section 12.40.020 shall not apply to excavations made upon any property used for commercial or industrial purposes where such excavation is within the enclosed yard or plant of any such industry.

Except as provided in this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person owning or having the possession, charge or control of any lot or parcel of land in the City of Richmond upon which any excavation more than two feet in depth has been made, to maintain such excavation in an open or unclosed condition unless the same is enclosed by suitable guard rails. Such guard rails shall be constructed in such manner and be of such material as the superintendent of streets of the City may direct.

(Source: Ordinance No. 454)