012 RMS Surveillance Checklist H12 EXCAVATION

Title Page

1 Have all excavation work been subject to a risk assessment before commencement, or whenever there is a change that may cause new hazards, with particular attention being paid to:  possibility of the fall or dislodgement of earth/rock or other materials?  instability of the excavation or adjoining structure?  in rush of water (or any other substance, e.g. sewage)?  placement of excavated material?  instability due to person or plant working adjacent to the excavation?
2 Has a SWMS been developed and all excavation workers trained on its contents?
3 Is an adequate system of safety (including benching, battering, shoring, or other forms of earth retention) being used to control the major hazards associated with excavations?
4 If benched or battered, is the angle of repose less than 45°? (If the angle of repose is greater than 45°, written certification by a geotechnical engineer is required)
5 Have trench covers and shoring been approved by a structural engineer?

6 Are excavations in or adjacent to roads adequately shored or supported to:

 Ensure the stability of residual road slab after excavation is complete?
 Provide support for all pavements or road surfaces whilst the excavation is open?
 Control for instability due to adjacent or overhead traffic?
7 Have underground and overhead services been identified, marked, and located prior to excavation commencing?

 Excavations more than 1.5 metre deep?
 Work in tunnels?
 On caissons and cofferdams?
 Compressed air work in an excavation?
9 Are all excavations been secured and barricaded to ensure the safety of persons on site and members of the public?
10 Has safe access and egress been provided for in the excavation (including to and from caissons and cofferdams) throughout the duration of the works?
11 Is there a procedure to ensure no person work alone in or around an excavation ranked as a high or medium risk at any time?
12 If a stand by person has been provided, are they located outside the zone of influence?
13 Have emergency procedures been developed and communicated to all persons working in or near the excavation works before work commences?
14 Do the emergency procedures address all foreseeable major hazards, in particular:  collapse of excavation,  unplanned contact with underground or overhead services,  inrush of water or other substance into excavation,  exposure to hazardous substances?
15 Has a schedule of inspections by a competent person based on the outcomes of the risk assessment been developed?
16 Has a competent person completed regular inspections of the excavation as required by inspection schedule?

Do portable ladders have a local identtifying number legibly painted on both sides?
 Contact with overhead utilities?
 Effect of mobile plant on the stability of the excavation?
 Contact with persons or other machinery?
 Ejection of material?
 Possibility of overturning?
19 Has the possibility of the excavation becoming a confined space been considered and controlled?

Compliance and Follow-up Actions