Construction & Built Environment

Unit 1. Health , Safety and welfare in construction and the Built Environment

EXCAVATION
 Before You Start Any Excavation….

• Take precautions to ensure that you will not undermine the foundations
of any surrounding buildings – if in doubt speak to your supervisor!

• Consider the use of trial holes to locate buried

services – remember, buried services are
often covered with yellow plastic marker tape

• If digging anywhere near underground services

you should only use a spade or shovel

• If the soil contains a strange smell when digging take precautions as the
soil may be contaminated (Sewer Gas/Hydrogen Sulphide)
Working In Excavations
• Excavations must be inspected before the start of every shift by a
competent person to ensure that they are safe to work in

• Excavations must be fitted with Guard Rails to ensure

that people do not fall into the excavation

• Excavations must be supported if there is any risk of

the sides falling in
excavation
• If you see the supports in an excavation moving always makes sure that
you and others get out quickly as the sides may be about to collapse
 If You Hit And Damage a Cable…

• Always stop work and make sure that the damage to the cable is
reported

• Do not touch the cable, it may be live!

 Working In Excavations

• Deep excavations must only be accessed via a properly supported ladder

• Consider the use of a ‘Top Man’

who may initiate any rescue plan
if required

• Do not work in an excavation if vehicles are left running

above an excavation – exhaust fumes may settle in the
base of the excavation…

• …If you ever feel dizzy in any excavation make sure you
and others get out!
 Specific hazards associated with excavations
• materials falling on workers in the excavation
• dangers associated with excavation machinery
• falls of people and/or vehicles into the excavation
• hazardous substances particularly near the site of
current or former industrial processes
• influx of ground or surface water and entrapment in
silt or mud
• proximity of stored materials, waste materials or
plant
• proximity of adjacent buildings or structures and
their stability
• contact with underground services
• contact with overhead power lines
• access and egress to the excavation and
fumes, lack of oxygen and other health hazards
(such as Weil’s disease).
Planning the work
• Before starting any excavations, it is important to plan the
work by following a comprehensive planning procedure so
that all significant hazards can be addressed.
• collapse of the sides
• control of people and vehicles around the surface area of
the excavation
• the proximity of adjacent structures
• the position of any underground services
• access to the excavation
• the protection of members of the public.
 Precautions and controls
• at all stages of the excavation, a competent
person must supervise the work.

• Workers must be given clear instructions on

working safely in the excavation

• the walls of the excavation trench must be

prevented from collapsing either by digging them
at a safe angle (between 5 and 45 depending on
soil structure and its dryness) or by shoring them
up with timber, sheeting or a proprietary support
system.

• Even shallow trenches may need support if the

work involves bending or kneeling in the trench

• falls of material into the workings can also be

prevented by not storing spoil material near the top
of the excavation.

• workers must wear hard hats and safety footwear

• if the excavation is more than 2m deep, a

substantial barrier, consisting of guard rails and
toe boards should be provided around the surface
of the workings.
• workers should never enter an unsupported
excavations or work ahead of supports
Trench sheets with timber walings,
 Precautions and controls
• vehicles should be kept away as far as possible
using warning signs and barriers.

• Where a vehicle is tipping materials into the

excavation, stop blocks should be placed behind its
wheels

• all plant and equipment operators must be

competent and non-operators should be kept away
from moving plant

• personal protective equipment (gloves, overalls,

boots, ear defenders and hard hats) must be worn by
operators of noisy plant
Vehicle protection at top of an excavation.
• nearby structures and buildings may need to be
shored up if the excavation may reduce their stability.

• Scaffolding could also be de-stabilized by adjacent

excavation trenches.

• the influx of water can only be controlled by the use

of pumps after the water has been channel led into
sumps

Timbered excavation with ladder access

and supported services (guard removed on one side for clarity).
 Confined space
• A confined space can be defined as any space of an enclosed
nature which has limited means of access
and egress, restricted natural ventilation and is not intended for
continual occupancy by persons.
• It is, therefore, any space which, by virtue of its enclosed
nature, presents a reasonably foreseeable specified risk of
serious injury.
• Examples of a confined space
• Manholes, sewers, Tunnels
• Excavations, storage tanks, holds of Ships
• pits, trenches , Ducts
• some unventilated areas or
• rooms within buildings (particularly below ground level),
• Boilers, combustion chambers in furnaces, chambers,
• , trenches, pipesand wells.
 Hazards associated with confined spaces
The principal hazards associated with a confined space are the difficult access and
egress, which makes entrapment, escape and rescue more problematic; the
accumulation of vapours; gases or fumes and the lack of ventilation.

• asphyxiation due to oxygen depletion

• poisoning by toxic substance or fumes
• explosions due to gases, vapours, and dust
• fire due to flammable liquids, vapours and oxygen
enrichment
• fall of materials leading to possible head injuries
• electrocution from unsuitable equipment
• difficulties of rescuing injured personnel
• drowning due to flooding
• fumes from plant or processes entering confined
spaces
• excessive heat leading to heat stress
• claustrophobic effects due to restricted space
• diseases from animal wastes, infected materials or
micro-organisms, e.g. fungal infections, tetanus, Entering a confined space.
 Working In Confined Spaces

• Working in a confined space will usually require A Risk Assessment, A

Method Statement and a Permit To Work

• The Risk Assessment may indicate that a Rescue Team or Rescue Plan
is required. If this is the case and neither are available you should not
enter the confined space until they are in place

• The Method Statement will indicate the safest and correct way to do a
job. If you find that you cannot do a job in accordance with the Method
Statement always speak to your supervisor
 Permits To Work

• Working in a confined space will often require a Permit To Work

• A Permit to Work you will allow certain tasks to

be carried out under controlled conditions

• If a task requires a Permit to Work you will not

be allowed to start a job until the Permit to
Work has been issued

• If the permit runs out before a job has been finished work must cease
until the permit has been replaced
Before Work Commences In A
Confined Space…
• The air quality should be tested with a meter this may highlight hazards
such as:-
- Toxic, Flammable and Explosive Gases (i.e. Methane)

- A lack of Oxygen in the excavation or confined space

• If the presence of gas is highlighted leave the confined space as quickly

as possible – the gas may explode or you may not be able to breath

• If a lack of Oxygen is highlighted leave the confined space as quickly as

possible – you could be suffocated or lose consciousness
 Working In Confined Spaces

• Particular attention must be taken if sludge has gathered at the bottom of

an excavation or confined space

• The sludge may be a slip and trip hazard…

• The sludge may contain hazards such as Toxic or

Flammable Gases …

• Do not attempt to work in such environments unless you

have received the correct Training and the necessary
Respiratory Protective Equipment
Excavations, Confined Spaces And The Law

• Guidance on working in Excavations and Confined Spaces are contained

in the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the
Confined Spaces Regulations 1997

• By law, employers must:-

- Undertake suitable and sufficient assessments of the risks for all work
activities

- Have in place adequate emergency arrangements before work

commences

- Avoid the need to enter confined spaces whenever possible