RAMS — Groundworks & shallow excavation

What you need to know

The plain-English guidance that comes with this document.

• Trench collapse kills fast and silently — respect the depth limit. A cubic metre of soil weighs well over a tonne; a collapse buries and suffocates in seconds. This RAMS is for shallow work. Anything people will enter that's deep, unstable, or needs designed support is a job for a competent person and temporary works design — do not stretch this document to cover it.
• Find the services before the spade goes in. Buried cables, gas and water are struck constantly, with fatal results. Use the drawings and a CAT & Genny, mark what you find, hand-dig near services, and treat everything as live until proven otherwise.
• Keep the edges clear and barrier it off. Spoil, plant and materials stacked at the edge add load that causes collapse — keep them back. Open excavations near the public need robust barriers, covers and lighting.
• Inspect it, every shift. Ground changes with rain, vibration and time. A competent person checks the excavation at the start of each shift and after anything that could affect it.
• Never dive in to rescue. Most excavation deaths include a would-be rescuer. If someone's buried or trapped, raise the alarm and get the emergency services — don't add yourself to the count.
• Starting point — get it signed off, and know the ceiling. Edit for your job and have a competent person review it. The moment it becomes deep or needs support design, it's Tier C — get the right expertise.