Product Overview

Summary: This Soil Testing Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, step-by-step method for conducting safe and accurate soil sampling, handling and testing on Australian worksites. It helps organisations manage contamination and geotechnical risks, protect workers from exposure to hazardous substances, and generate defensible test results that support compliant project decisions.

Soil testing underpins critical decisions in construction, infrastructure, mining, agriculture and environmental management across Australia. Done poorly, it can expose workers to hazardous contaminants, lead to structural failures, unexpected remediation costs and non-compliance with planning and environmental approvals. This Soil Testing Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, end‑to‑end method for planning, conducting and documenting soil sampling and testing activities, whether undertaken in the field, in a mobile facility, or in a fixed laboratory environment.

The SOP focuses on both safety and technical reliability. It details how to assess and control WHS risks such as exposure to contaminated soils, manual handling injuries, plant and equipment hazards, and working near services or unstable ground. At the same time, it standardises sampling locations, depths, chain of custody, sample preservation and documentation so that test results are accurate, repeatable and defensible if audited or challenged. Implementing this procedure helps Australian businesses demonstrate due diligence under WHS and environmental legislation, streamline training, and ensure that every worker follows the same safe, compliant process from the first soil core to the final report.

Key Benefits

• Ensure soil sampling and testing activities are conducted safely and consistently across all sites.
• Reduce worker exposure to contaminated soils, sharps and other subsurface hazards through clear control measures.
• Improve the accuracy, traceability and defensibility of soil test results via standardised sampling and documentation.
• Streamline onboarding and competency assessment for field technicians, drillers and laboratory staff.
• Demonstrate due diligence with respect to WHS, environmental and planning obligations for ground investigations.

Who is this for?

• Environmental Consultants
• Geotechnical Engineers
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• Laboratory Managers
• WHS Managers
• Civil Engineers
• Mining and Quarrying Supervisors
• Local Government Infrastructure Officers
• Land Development Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Exposure to contaminated soil containing hydrocarbons, heavy metals, asbestos or other hazardous substances
• Skin contact, inhalation or ingestion of dusts, vapours and fine particulates during drilling and sampling
• Manual handling injuries from lifting augers, sample bags, split spoons, cores and eskies
• Struck-by or entanglement injuries from drilling rigs, hand augers and other powered or rotating equipment
• Slips, trips and falls on uneven, excavated or muddy ground surfaces
• Contact with buried services such as electricity, gas, water and telecommunications
• Excavation and trench collapse or loss of ground stability during test pit activities
• Heat stress, dehydration and sun exposure during prolonged outdoor sampling in Australian conditions
• Cuts and puncture wounds from sharp objects, debris or syringes in contaminated ground
• Chemical exposure from preservatives, reagents or decontamination agents used in sample handling

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 References, Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Pre-Start Planning and Risk Assessment
• 5.0 Site Access, Induction and Service Location Requirements
• 6.0 Required Equipment, Tools and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• 7.0 Hazard Identification and Control Measures for Soil Testing Activities
• 8.0 Soil Sampling Design, Locations and Depths
• 9.0 Field Procedures for Drilling, Test Pits and Hand Augering
• 10.0 Sample Collection, Labelling and Preservation
• 11.0 Decontamination of Equipment and Prevention of Cross-Contamination
• 12.0 Chain of Custody, Storage and Transport of Samples
• 13.0 On-Site Measurements, Field Logs and Photographic Records
• 14.0 Laboratory Interface, Test Requests and Acceptance Criteria
• 15.0 Waste Management and Disposal of Contaminated Materials
• 16.0 Emergency Procedures and Incident Reporting
• 17.0 Training, Competency and Authorisation Requirements
• 18.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement of the Procedure
• 19.0 Document Control and Recordkeeping

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and harmonised state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and state/territory equivalents
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Code of Practice
• AS 4482.1: Guide to the investigation and sampling of sites with potentially contaminated soil – Non-volatile and semi-volatile compounds
• AS 4482.2: Guide to the sampling and investigation of potentially contaminated soil – Volatile substances
• AS 1726: Geotechnical site investigations
• AS/NZS 5667 (relevant parts): Water quality – Sampling (for associated groundwater and leachate sampling where applicable)
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 1801: Occupational protective helmets
• AS/NZS 2161 series: Occupational protective gloves
• AS/NZS ISO 9001: Quality management systems – Requirements (for laboratory and field quality control)
• National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (NEPM) – as adopted in relevant jurisdictions