Doc. No.: VE – 4.4.3.

Revision: Rev. 00

Date:

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Risk Assessment: Trenching

A competent person must be appointed as an Excavation Supervisor and must ensure the safety for
persons on site

Ensure all underground services have been located and isolated before Trenching

Trenches should be inspected by a competent person before every shift and after rain.

Trenches should be adequately shored and braced or battered back sufficiently. All bracing and
shoring must be inspected to ensure the wooden support/ scaffold jacks are not damaged.

Sufficient access and egress to be provided to all Trenches at every 6 meters.

All excavated material must be kept at least 1m away from the edges of the Trench to avoid soil
falling back into the Trench

No person is allowed to work in or near an Trench while a machine is digging in that same Trench

All Trenches must be barricaded to prevent employees from falling into the Trench.

Caution must be taken to ensure the top soil does not mix with the base soil.

Employees must ensure they are not working in to close proximity to each other

If there is excessive dust present, employees must wear dust masks. If possible, the ground must be
moistened.
 Doc. No.: VE – 4.4.3.1

Revision: Rev. 00

Date:

Toolbox Talk Page: 2 of 2

Please note that this is a proprietary document distributed only to authorized personnel with permission only given
by the document owner.

Trenching using Machinery:

Only appointed competent employees may operate any machinery.

All machines must be inspected before use.

No machine may be operated under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The operator must ensure they are operating a safe distance from the Trench edge.

Operators must always be aware of their surroundings.

Flagman must be used when necessary.

The operator must ensure the outriggers of the machine is fully extended to prevent the machine
from toppling over.