Excavation Safety Checklist

Excavation Safety Checklist:

Excavation checklist need to be filled by a safety practitioner when inspecting the site?
As a health and safety practitioner, Safety Officer you act as a planner, organizer, manager and supervisor. Your major role is to maintain a safe and healthier
workplace and to prevent accidents, incidents, injuries or harm to employees.
The law says you must prevent danger to workers in or near excavations. To maintain the required precautions, a competent person must inspect excavation
at the start each working shift and at other specified times. No work should take place until the excavation is safe.

Key issues are:

1. Collapse of excavations
2. Falling or dislodging material
3. Falling into excavations
4. Undermining nearby structures
5. Underground and overhead services
6. Inflow of ground and surface water

Checklist:

• Are underground utilities, cables and pipelines located and marked prior to digging?
• Is a Confined Space Entry Permit required, issued and available on site?
• Is gas testing required and performed; e.g., excavations deeper than 1.2 m (4 ft)?
• Is a Stand-by Man and/or Fire Watch required and available on site?
• Is access to plant/process equipment maintained?
• If excavation is near a roadway are flagmen with bright orange vests\ present?
• Is the shoring/sloping/benching acceptable to prevent sidewall cave-in?
• Is shoring material in sound condition and free of damage/defects?
• Is shoring installed/maintained by qualified personnel?
• Are adequate ladders provided within a travel distance of 7.5 m (25 ft)?
• Are ladders properly secured and do they extend 1 m (3 ft) above the surface?
• Is the excavation free of tension cracks or other evidence of sidewall failure?
• Is the excavation free of water, hydrocarbons, or other toxic substances?
• Are materials and spoils set back at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the excavation’s edge?
• Are underground utilities and piping located, marked and protected from damage?
• Are the dewatering system effective and maintained?
• What about noise control methods; is the nearby public safe and comfortable with the site activities?
• Are there sufficient signs and signals available near the excavation site?
• All NOC’s copies related to underground and overhead service providers kept and available onsite?
• Did all the workers and staff are wearing task specific PPE, for example
  Hard hats, high visibility jackets, safety shoes, dust mask and safety gloves?
• Are overall conditions acceptable and safe for work?
• All deficiencies need to be corrected immediately.
  If you are serious about excavation safety; you need to follow these steps. In this way, you can control any of the hazards at source prior it converts to a workplace accident.

Importance

Ensuring safety during excavation is crucial to prevent accidents and injuries. Firstly, always conduct a thorough site assessment to identify potential hazards. Furthermore, it’s essential to regularly inspect equipment and trenches to maintain safety standards. Finally, provide comprehensive training for all workers to ensure they are aware of safety protocols and emergency procedures.