Product Overview

This Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) provides a detailed, step-by-step approach to safely managing deep excavation (over 1.5m) and ground stability on Australian worksites, helping you control high-risk hazards and meet your legal obligations. It is a comprehensive, ready-to-use document that covers planning, setup, operation, monitoring and emergency response for a wide range of excavation and ground stability activities to support ongoing WHS compliance.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Assessment of ground stability, soil type and strata to determine appropriate excavation methods and controls
• Systematic assessment of ground conditions prior to and during excavation works, including changes due to weather or loading
• Deep foundation pit excavation, including benching, battering and shoring design considerations
• Dewatering excavation sites using pumps, sumps and drainage to control groundwater and surface water inflows
• Digging around existing structures, services and utilities while minimising vibration, undermining and structural damage
• Excavation adjacent to buildings, roads, retaining walls and other structures, including support and underpinning controls
• Excavation deeper than 1.5 metres, including entry controls, access/egress, atmospheric risks and emergency procedures
• Excavation in frozen or hardened ground, including safe use of mechanical breakers and prevention of sudden ground collapse
• Scheduled and post-incident excavation inspections after heavy rain, flooding or water ingress events
• Controls to prevent falls into open holes, pits or trenches, including barriers, edge protection and exclusion zones
• Groundwater control methods such as well-point systems, cut-off drains and appropriate discharge management
• Identifying potentially unsafe ground conditions such as cracking, slumping, bulging, water seepage or surcharge loading
• Performing ground work and plant operations adjacent to deep excavations while maintaining safe stand-off distances
• Securing excavation edges and sides using shoring, shielding, benching, battering and engineered support systems
• Slip, trip and fall prevention at the excavation site, including housekeeping, access ways, lighting and signage
• Safe use of earthmoving plant (excavators, loaders, trucks) in and around deep excavations, including spotters and traffic control
• Emergency response planning for ground collapse, inundation, entrapment or worker fall incidents in deep excavations

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for civil contractors, plumbers, electricians, builders, foundation and piling contractors, demolition crews, landscapers, and site supervisors involved in deep excavation and ground stability works.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: Excavation Work – Managing risks associated with trenches, shafts and deep excavations
• Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces – Requirements for preventing falls into excavations and pits
• Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace – Safe use of excavators, loaders and other plant around excavations
• Code of Practice: Construction Work – General risk management for construction activities including excavation
• AS 3798 Guidelines on Earthworks for Commercial and Residential Developments – Guidance on earthworks quality and ground stability
• AS 2159 Piling – Design and Installation – Relevant where deep foundations and excavation interface with piling works
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017