Product Overview

Summary: This Piling and Foundation Work Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, step-by-step method for planning and carrying out piling and foundation activities safely on Australian worksites. It helps construction businesses control high‑risk hazards, meet WHS obligations, and deliver structurally sound foundations without unnecessary delays or incidents.

Piling and foundation work is one of the highest-risk phases of civil and building construction, involving heavy plant, deep excavations, unstable ground conditions and complex interfaces with other trades. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, practical framework for managing these risks from planning through to completion, including site investigation, establishing exclusion zones, controlling ground instability and water ingress, and coordinating mobile plant and crane operations. It is designed specifically for Australian conditions and WHS expectations, supporting both large infrastructure projects and smaller commercial or residential developments.

By implementing this SOP, your business can demonstrate a systematic approach to high-risk construction work, as required under WHS legislation. It helps ensure piling and foundation activities are properly planned, supervised and documented, while clearly outlining responsibilities for site supervisors, rig operators, engineers and subcontractors. The procedure supports consistent training, improves communication between geotechnical and construction teams, and reduces the likelihood of serious incidents such as ground collapse, plant rollovers, struck‑by incidents and damage to underground services. Ultimately, it protects your workers, your program, and your reputation with clients and regulators.

Key Benefits

• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS requirements for high-risk construction work involving excavations, piling and mobile plant.
• Reduce the likelihood of serious incidents such as ground collapse, plant rollovers, struck‑by events and contact with underground services.
• Standardise piling and foundation work methods across projects, improving quality, productivity and supervision.
• Strengthen due diligence and defensibility in the event of regulator inspections, client audits or incident investigations.
• Improve coordination between engineers, plant operators and site crews through clearly defined roles, communication protocols and hold points.

Who is this for?

• Construction Project Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Piling Supervisors
• Piling Rig Operators
• Civil Engineers
• Geotechnical Engineers
• WHS Managers
• Safety Advisors
• Principal Contractors
• Construction Forepersons
• Plant Operators
• Leading Hands

Hazards Addressed

• Ground collapse and trench or excavation failure during piling and foundation works
• Plant rollovers or instability of piling rigs, cranes and earthmoving equipment
• Struck-by incidents from swinging loads, falling objects, or moving plant in congested work areas
• Contact with underground or overhead services (electricity, gas, water, communications, sewer)
• Noise and vibration exposure affecting workers and neighbouring properties
• Manual handling injuries associated with handling casings, reinforcement and formwork
• Exposure to hazardous substances such as concrete, grout, drilling fluids and contaminated soil
• Slips, trips and falls around uneven ground, open holes and wet or muddy conditions
• Entrapment or crush injuries involving augers, rotating equipment and hydraulic systems
• Fatigue and reduced situational awareness during extended piling operations

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 4.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 5.0 Pre-Construction Planning and Design Review
• 6.0 Site Investigation and Ground Conditions Assessment
• 7.0 Service Location, Dial Before You Dig and Isolation Requirements
• 8.0 Plant, Equipment and Inspection Requirements (Piling Rigs, Cranes, Excavators)
• 9.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 10.0 Traffic Management and Exclusion Zone Controls
• 11.0 Step-by-Step Procedure – Bored Piles
• 12.0 Step-by-Step Procedure – Driven Piles and Sheet Piles
• 13.0 Step-by-Step Procedure – Screw Piles and Other Systems
• 14.0 Excavation, Shoring and Ground Stability Controls
• 15.0 Working Near Underground and Overhead Services
• 16.0 Lifting Operations, Rigging and Load Handling
• 17.0 Noise, Vibration and Environmental Impact Controls
• 18.0 Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and SWMS Integration
• 19.0 Emergency Preparedness and Response (Collapse, Entrapment, Struck-by Incidents)
• 20.0 Inspection, Testing, Verification and Hold Points
• 21.0 Housekeeping, Access and Egress Management
• 22.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 23.0 Recordkeeping, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations – High Risk Construction Work and Excavation Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Construction Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Excavation Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• AS 2159: Piling – Design and installation
• AS 3600: Concrete structures
• AS 4678: Earth-retaining structures
• AS/NZS 3012: Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites
• AS/NZS 4501: Occupational protective clothing and AS/NZS 1337 / 1715 / 1716 for PPE (eye and face, respiratory protection)