Trenching and Excavation Requirements

Working in or near trenches and excavations can be extremely hazardous. As result, WorkSafe Victoria has released a brief presentation outlining the precautions employers or others must implement.

The person with the management and control must ensure safe entry and egress from the excavation is provided through implementing various monitoring initiatives to ensure unexpected sinkholes, collapses or an inrush of material and water is identified. Workers should always remain aware of their surroundings and avoid entering unfamiliar areas alone. All ground disturbance due to excavation should be mitigated prior to backfilling. This could include the use of mirrors to inspect underground surfaces, or other mitigation options as specific to the situation.

Excavation areas should be regularly inspected and maintained. Any problems should be reported immediately. Moreover, the employer must implement a documented an emergency procedure to demonstrate compliance with the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Regulation 331 - Emergency Procedure.

Employers have duties to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to employees, including on the emergency procedures and how to implement them safely. These emergency procedures should be easy for users to understand, onsite and readily available. 

For construction work that requires a safe work method statement (SWMS), the SWMS must describe how risk control measures are to be implemented. This should include the engulfment emergency procedures, which can be documented or referenced in the SWMS. For example, Engulfment – implement documented emergency procedures.

Additional information can be obtained from: ISBN-Trenching-safety-things-know-2021-10.pdf (worksafe.vic.gov.au)