Hazard Guide
Identifying, Assessing, and Controlling Hazards

Excavation Hazards


Excavations involve the moving and removing of soil and rock from an area where construction is going to take place. It can include clearing an area through drilling, grading, and trenching as well as to construct or repair underground utilities. Excavations involve the moving and removing of soil and rock from an area where construction is going to take place. It can include clearing an area through drilling, grading, and trenching as well as to construct or repair underground utilities.

Excavation Hazards
Construction Industry Examples
  • Materials falling into excavations or falls into excavations, collapse or cave-ins or contact with buried utilities. Risk increases with depth and limited access/egress. High risk when there is diminished air quality, hazardous atmospheres, chemical vapours, gases, fumes, dust.
Tips on Identifying
  • Look for depth and soil conditions that trigger risk controls.
  • Take ground disturbance training.
  • Monitor weather conditions that may change soil conditions.

Control Method Examples:

More Effective

Elimination

Use of hydroexcavating

Substitution

Engineering Controls

Use of shoring and sloping

Administrative Controls

Ground and soil stability assessment, minimizing ground disturbance, air quality monitoring

PPE

Hard hats and high visibility clothing, protective clothing

Less Effective