Excavations are dangerous areas of work that put workers in harms way. Use this checklist as a baseline reference to ensure worker's safety.
Question
Response Type
Has DigAlert been notified of this work?
Yes No N/A
If yes, are all the areas of existing utilities accurately represented?
Yes No N/A
Does the soil show any signs of weakening? ie cracks, sloughing, etc
Yes No N/A
Is the excavation deeper than 4'?
Yes No N/A
If yes, what shoring system is being utilized to ensure there are no cave-ins?
Text Answer
Is there safe access into and out of the excavation?
Yes No N/A
In case of an emergency, is there a rescue plan in place?
Yes No N/A
Will there be any hotwork performed inside the excavation?
Yes No N/A
If so, have measures been taken to ensure that oxygen levels stay at appropriate levels?
Yes No N/A
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Need an easy way to reduce risk during excavations? Fill out the form to download our excavation and trenching safety checklist as a workable PDF. We’ll also email you a copy. Then, work through each checklist item to help protect your crew against accidents and injuries.
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Find answers to some of the most common safety questions related to excavation and trenching.
Excavation can be classified by the material being excavated, or by the purpose of work. Some common materials that are excavated include:
Topsoil
Earth
Rock
Muck
Some common examples of excavation by project include:
Bridge
Drainage/structure
Borrow
Footing
Understanding the type of excavation project you’ll be working on means you can evaluate which equipment to use (such as a quick coupler device), as well as understand the unique hazards involved.
An excavation is any depression or cavity caused by digging or the removal of earth. Trenching is a specific type of excavation: a narrow excavation. Trenching is deeper than it is wide, making it a suitable walking area. Trenching, however, does not exceed 15 feet in depth.
Excavation sites can present a variety of hazards. These are a few examples:
Cave-ins
Reduced oxygen levels
Falls into trenches or excavations
Excavation can quickly become life-threatening if safety precautions are not followed. To learn more about excavation safety, check out our Excavation & Trenching Toolbox Talk.
A competent person is someone who can recognize current and potential hazards. They also have the authority to take immediate action if a hazard is identified. A competent person inspects trenches daily, before any workers are allowed access to the trenches. If there are any significant changes, say in weather conditions, this person will again inspect for any new hazards.
Anytime excavation is five feet or deeper (unless excavation is in stable rock), safety systems are required. When working at depths of 20 feet or more, additional measures must be taken—this could include a registered professional engineer designing the protective system.
Examples of protective systems include:
Benching
Sloping
Shoring
Shielding
OSHA requires safe access or egress points within 25 feet of any worker when working in trench areas that are four feet or deeper. Examples of common access points include:
Ladders
Steps
Ramps
All points of egress must be designed by a competent and qualified person.
Construction health and safety management software and safety training are essential in maintaining workers’ safety on jobsites.
Keep track of owned and rental equipment usage with construction equipment management software. Easily monitor maintenance needs, upload inspection requirements, and take photos of equipment straight from the app.
Digital construction safety checklists (like this one) ensure all proper procedures are both followed and documented. Additionally, toolbox talks help to educate teams on safety topics and requirements. To streamline the process for safety trainings, consider a toolbox talk app with a digital library and scheduling tool.
There’s an easier way to find and complete construction checklists—and we'd love to walk you through it in a personalized demo. (All demos come with a free trial, too.)
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