Health and Safety Toolbox Talks are the quickest and most effective way to educate your construction workers in short bursts. This toolbox talk gives you the information you need your staff to know to be able to work safely in and around excavations. A must for all groundworkers, utility installers and any trade working on site during excavation work.

1. Toolbox Talk 2: Excavation Safety

2. Safety in Excavations is covered by:
The Health and Safety at Work Act
The Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations
The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations
The Working at Height Regulations are also applicable as a
deep excavation presents a fall risk

3.  If a trench or excavation
cannot be made safe by
sloping or battering the
sides to the angle of
repose, support must
be in place, such as
sheet piling or trench
boxes
 Loose/fractured rock
also requires support as
does wet sand and high
clay content soil.
No soil can be relied on to support
its own weight, regardless of the
make up of the soil.
The Angle of Repose is the
steepest angle that a substance
will always fall to.

4. The type of support
depends upon:
 The type of excavation
 The nature of the ground
 Ground water conditions
A survey of soil by a
competent person will
ascertain which type of
support is required. A
safe system of work must
be devised for
installing/removing
supports.
Sheet Piling
Trench Box

5. ACCESS SERVICES
 Access must be by:
 - Ladder
 - Stepped Earth
 - Steps
 - Sloping Ground
 Service drawings MUST be
consulted before works
commence
 CAT scanning MUST also
be undertaken as a
precaution
 If servcices are found –
works must STOP
IMMEDIATELY!

6.  The edges of excavations must be barriered
to prevent persons, vehicles, plant or objects
falling in.
 Barriers must comply with the Working at
Height Regulations and have a guard rail at
950mm.
 Stop blocks can be used to stop plant getting
too near the edge of the excavation as this
may cause collapse.

7.  Deep excavations
should be treated as
confined spaces and a
gas test undertaken
prior to entry.
 If the air monitor shows
an unsafe atmosphere,
respiratory equipment
must be worn

8.  It is a legal requirement to inspect an excavation at the start of
every shift.
 Persons must not be set to work if the excavation shows signs
of cracking or if the sides have moved.
 Movement can be detected from supports moving or from
objects, like stones, falling.
 The angle of the supports should be checked and the edges.
 The report must be recorded on a statutory inspection form.

9. Infinite Safety Ltd is a Blackpool Health and Safety consultancy
covering the UK.
Founded in 2006 by Chartered Safety Manager, Claire Sheehan,
the company has grown on word of mouth and recommendation
alone. The practice is super busy with a team of specialist
advisors giving practical advice to help businesses thrive. "We
keep you busy so you keep us busy!" Get in touch and hear
our ideas.