Deep Excavation (over 1.5m) and Ground Stability SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers planning and carrying out deep excavation work over 1.5 metres, including ground stability controls. It supports work planning and risk management from ground assessment and service location through excavation, support, backfilling and close-out.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan the excavation work and coordinate site activities
• Assess ground conditions and changing soil conditions
• Locate and isolate underground services
• Secure the site, excavation edges and access areas
• Position plant away from excavation hazards
• Excavate progressively and manage spoil
• Install and remove ground support
• Control groundwater and water inflow
• Protect adjacent structures and buried assets
• Manage work within the excavation
• Inspect conditions as work and weather change
• Backfill, remove support and demobilise

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out deep excavation and ground stability work.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations, including duties to manage risks, provide safe systems of work, consult workers, manage construction work and control excavation hazards.
• Model Code of Practice: Excavation Work (guidance only; confirm adoption and legal status in the relevant jurisdiction). It identifies support by shoring, shielding, benching or battering for trenches 1.5 m or deeper, and recognises competent geotechnical input for ground-support controls.
• Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks (guidance only), including consultation, training, supervision, maintenance and review of controls.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace; Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces; Model Code of Practice: Confined Spaces; and Model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks, as applicable guidance.
• AS 4744.1 Trench shields; AS 5047 Hydraulic shoring and trench lining equipment; AS 3798 Guidelines on earthworks for commercial and residential developments; AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations—Construction and demolition sites; AS/NZS 1337.1, AS/NZS 1715, AS/NZS 1716, AS/NZS 1270, AS/NZS 1801, AS/NZS 2210.3 and AS/NZS 4602.1, as applicable.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections