Excavations

If relevant to the project, the construction phase plan should detail what arrangements are in place for the safety of others regarding excavations. If excavation work is carried out, the relevant contractor must take all practicable steps to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to control risks associated with cave-in, collapse of adjoining structures or inrush of water.

If an excavation needs to be supported or battered back to control risks, the relevant contractor must ensure that construction work is not carried out on the excavation until the excavation and any supports have been inspected by a competent person:-

• At the start of the shift in which the work is to be carried out
• After any event likely to have affected the strength or stability of the excavation
• After any material unintentionally falls or is dislodged.

If, after the inspection, the competent person is not satisfied that the construction work can be carried out safely, he or she must advise the relevant contractor of that fact and the excavation must not be used until the matters identified have been resolved. The competent person must complete a written record of the inspection, being a record that includes the information required by Regulation 31, information in record of inspection.